Politics « Thurles Information

No Banksy Street Art Appearing On ‘Bosheenkay’ In Thurles.

As most people are aware Banksy is an pseudonymous England-based street artist; a political activist and possibly a film director, whose satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed using a distinctive stencilling technique. His real name and identity continue to remain unconfirmed and indeed the subject of huge speculation.

Here in Thurles, as you can see, most certainly Banksy can’t be accused of spraying his graffiti images on College Lane, east of our town.

Local Municipal Districts councillors would like people to believe that they have now created a new walkway for locals people and tourists. But of course College Lane, as we know, has been there for centuries and the walkway we know today as ‘College Lane’ was originally known as ‘Bohereen Keagh’, long before the Monakeeba housing estate was built.

With nationalist fervour, following on from Irish independence back in the 1920s, many Thurles streets were renamed to honour our Irish heroes and patriots; hence we have Parnell Street, Croke Street, Kickham Street, O’Donovan Rossa Street, Mitchel Street, Cuchulainn Road, etc.

College Lane was, back then, officially renamed “Eliogarty Road”, but the name didn’t catch with local people failing use the name, whereas some older people today still used the older name, pronouncing it ‘Boreenkay’ or ‘Bosheenkay’, just as other boreens used to be known as ‘bosheens’.

The area now is viewed sadly as a ‘no go’ area in Thurles, particularly in the late evening and after dark, with elected councillors and municipal district officials failing miserably to act in controlling anti-social behaviour and angry dogs, the latter permitted to roam about uncontrolled, often we learn attacking local residents.

Regularisation Scheme For Long-Term Undocumented Migrants.

Minister McEntee issues first positive decisions under the Regularisation Scheme for Long-Term Undocumented Migrants.

Approximately 5,000 applications have been made so far under the 2 strands of the regularisation scheme.
First permission letters have issued to successful applicants in recent days.
Minister encourages all those eligible to apply to do so.

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has today announced that she has issued the first positive decisions under the Regularisation Scheme for Long-Term Undocumented Migrants, just two months after the Scheme opened for applications.

To date, approximately 5,000 applications have been made to the two strands of the Scheme – the main scheme for people in a long-term undocumented situation, and the international protection strand for people who have been in the asylum process for a minimum of 2 years. Around 250 positive decisions have been made under the two strands in recent days. Processing of all other applications remains ongoing.

Welcoming the positive start to the Scheme, Minister McEntee said,
“We’ve seen a very positive level of engagement with the Scheme since I opened it for applications at the end of January.
We committed to making the online application process as simple and as straightforward as possible and because of this we are now in a position to issue the first positive decisions just two months in.

Permission letters have started to arrive in homes across the country with life changing news for those receiving them and their families. I want to congratulate everyone who has received a letter and to thank them for trusting us and coming forward to regularise their position in the State.

This is just the start and we’ll see more decisions and permissions issuing in the coming weeks.”

The Minister also outlined her plans to encourage more people to apply;
“It’s very important that people who are eligible don’t miss out on the opportunity to apply to this Scheme. We want to build on this early momentum and continue raising awareness of the Scheme. My Department will run a targeted communications campaign in the coming weeks to reach out to migrant communities likely to benefit from the Scheme to encourage them to consider applying.

We are continuing to engage with the NGO community and other stakeholders who have played and will continue to play a key role in building confidence in the Scheme among the more vulnerable members of those migrant communities.

I hope seeing these first positive decisions issuing will encourage more people to apply for what is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to regularise their status in the State.”

Minister McEntee encourages all undocumented migrants who are eligible to apply for the main scheme to do so before the closing date of 31 July 2022. Applications can be made online at https://inisonline.jahs.ie.

Further details regarding the qualifying criteria, the required documentation, and how to apply for the scheme are available on the Department’s immigration website at www.irishimmigration.ie/regularisation-of-long-term-undocumented-migrant-scheme.

International protection applicants who have an outstanding application for international protection and have been in the asylum process for a minimum of 2 years have a separate application process. The International Protection Office of the Department has written to approximately 4,000 potentially eligible applicants inviting them to apply. Over 1,300 people from this cohort have applied so far.

The International Protection strand of the Scheme is open for applications until 7 August 2022. Further information can be found on the website of the International Protection Office (Site Redirected) at: www.ipo.gov.ie/en/ipo/pages/whatsnew .

Wanted Woman Dolores Cahill On Run From Gardaí.

Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist; former University College Dublin (UCD) professor and unsuccessful Co. Tipperary election candidate, Ms Dolores Cahill, has revealed to a misguided following that she remains hidden in a remote location, following a warrant having been already issued by a Dublin court, for her immediate arrest.

Dolores Cahill, a former member of the minor right-wing, hard Eurosceptic political party in Ireland, which call, themselves, ‘The Irish Freedom Party’, was one of 11 candidates to contest the 2020 Irish General Election, held on Saturday February 8th, 2020, with none of their candidates being successfully elected.

Dolores Cahill, claiming to represent Co. Tipperary, came second-last in the Tipperary constituency, with only a miserable 521 first preference votes. Following her election failure her agents ceased to function, in the removal of her election posters here in Thurles, for almost one year.

The former UCD professor has now admitted that she is actively travelling around Ireland in an attempt not to get arrested and is keeping a low profile for fear of going to prison.

In December 2021 Meta, latter now Facebook’s parent company, removed Dolores Cahill social media page, as part of their crackdown on Covid-19 misinformation on its platform.

Previously, Gardaí had investigating whether Ms Cahill was involved in a group which encouraged a severely ill Covid patient to leave a Co Donegal hospital. Mr Joe McCarron sadly died after being re-admitted to hospital several days later.

A bench warrant for Ms Cahill was issued on January 25th last after the aforementioned failed to appear before a Dublin court on the previous day. Her failed appearance concerned an incident at Dublin Airport on September 6th, 2020, where she was accused of failing to adhere to guidelines and other shortcomings, when asked to comply with the directions of members of An Garda Síochána.

Planning Application Objections By Fianna Fáil Elected Reps. In 2020 – We Ask Questions.

Thurles Fianna Fáil councillor Mr Sean Ryan, (Thurles, Municipal District Council) together with Fianna Fáil T.D. Mr Jackie Cahill, both regrettably failed to raise objections in relation to the destruction of the 176 year old piece of Great Famine heritage, now destroyed in its entirety, at Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Despite both being advised as to its historical importance, both elected public representatives through their deliberate silence, joined their fellow colleagues, (Fianna Fáil Cllr. Mr Seamus Hanafin, and Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan), to ensure the total eradication of this Mass path; Right-Of Way; and Great Famine artifact.

However, in the past, Councillor Mr Sean Ryan and Mr Jackie Cahill T.D., it would appear, have perhaps colluded to object to one other planning application in the past, which had been initially submitted by Starrus Eco Holdings.
[Note: latter company set up on Wednesday May, 15th 2013, with registered offices at Panda Waste Management’s Solution, Ballymount Road Upper, Dublin].

We do not wish to comment on the merits or otherwise of Starrus Eco Holdings actual planning application.

However, we are mystified by the objection submissions made by both Cllr Mr Sean Ryan [sent on June 30th, 2020] and Deputy Jackie Cahill T.D. [sent three days later on July 3rd, 2020].

All Planning Application details ref: 20550 Tipperary County Council, can be viewed HERE.

See both planning objections which were submitted, hereunder.

**Above** **objection lodged by Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan**.

**Above objection lodged by Mr Jackie Cahill T.D.**, **three days later.**

We sent a query to Cllr. Sean Ryan initially on Saturday, October 2nd 2021, @ 3:22pm, regarding this matter. As expected, Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan chose to once again, remain silent.

Before reading further, note first, the 2020 Irish general election took place on Saturday, February 8th, to elect the 33rd Dáil Éireann T.D. membership. This election was called following the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil by the Irish President, Mr M.D. Higgins, at the request of the then Taoiseach, Mr Leo Varadkar, on January 14th 2020.

Both planning objections were lodged with Tipperary Co. Council after the General election of Saturday, February 8th.

With this knowledge shown above, in the interests of openness and transparency, a series of questions must now be publicly asked and more importantly answered, in writing.

(1) Why are T.D’s and Councillors, on high salaries exempt from paying planning fees, when persons earning minimum wages and those unemployed, must pay fees to their Local Authority, in the event of a planning appeal?

(2) When and where did Mr Jackie Cahill T.D. reside in Littleton, in July 2020?

(3) Why does Mr Jackie Cahill, T.D. call himself a “Councillor”, when in fact he was a “T.D.” on July 2nd 2020?

(4) Has Mr Jackie Cahill T.D completed the annual register of interests, which must be completed by all Oireachtas members, [Latter was introduced under the 1995 Ethics in Public Office Act, and include directorships in private sector companies; rental income from property and farming ], in relation to property owned or rented by him in Littleton, Thurles, Co. Tipperary?

(5) Ten other persons objected to this planning submission, but only two public elected representatives, (both Fianna Fáil), namely Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan and T.D Mr Jackie Cahill, raised objections.,
Did Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan collude by giving / sending a copy of his objection to be copied / scanned by T.D Mr Jackie Cahill, same which was then forwarded (pasted & copied) to the County Tipperary planning office, without the necessary due care and attention to detail, by his staff?

(6) With this information contained in T.D. Mr Jackie Cahill’s planning objection incorrect, and sent by Mr Jackie Cahill T.D’s. office, why was same accepted, stamped and acknowledged by Tipperary Co. Council’s planning officials, knowing it to be incorrect?

(7) Was any other Waste Recycling plant within the Tipperary region, with known connections to the Fianna Fáil party, involved in this collusion / objection to this requested planning permission?

Perhaps one or both named elected representatives might like to answer our queries raised herewith, so that same can be published for the benefit of the local electorate.

New Bill Will Implement Biggest Reform To Judicial Appointments In Decades.

Minister Mrs Helen McEntee publishes Bill to implement biggest reform to judicial appointments in decades.

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022 provides clear process for appointing judges.
New measures mean all candidates, including serving judges, will undergo new application and interview procedures.
Candidates will be required to undergo judicial training or continuous professional development.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee, T.D., has today announced that the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022, was approved by Government earlier this week and will be published shortly.
This represents an important step forward in the reform of the judicial appointments process as committed to by the Minister, most recently in Justice Plan 2022.

This Bill, when enacted, will lead to the biggest reform in the way judges are chosen for appointment in a quarter of a century.

A number of key changes have been made to the Bill from the General Scheme as published by Minister McEntee in December 2020.

The changes include:

* Number of recommendations – 3 persons to be recommended instead of 5 recommendations as provided for in the General Scheme and an additional 2 recommendations for a second and additional vacancies. For example, this would mean seven recommendations for three vacancies

* Only persons recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission to be recommend by the Government for appointment by the President

* Interviews – Any person – new applicants and serving judges seeking promotion to higher courts – who is to be recommended to the Minister for Justice for appointment should have been interviewed by the Judicial Appointments Commission

* Diversity – The Commission will be required to publish a diversity statement committing to the objective that membership of the judiciary should reflect the diversity of the population as a whole.

* Continuous Professional Development – Candidates will be required to show they have undertaken judicial training or continuous professional development

Minister McEntee said:
“In the hundred years since the foundation of the state, our judges and our judiciary have served us extremely well. In proposing this legislation, I hope that it will enable the continued appointment of excellence judges which are a cornerstone of a strong, independent judiciary.
It is vital that we have a very clear process for judicial appointments, one that people understand and have full confidence in.

The Bill I am publishing today allows for the establishment of a Judicial Appointments Commission of nine members, chaired by the Chief Justice, to replace the current Judicial Appointments Advisory Board.
All 4 lay members of the Commission will be selected and recommended by the Public Appointments Service.
The current JAAB process only concerns first-time judicial appointments, with no statutory advisory role in place relating to appointments from the ranks of serving judges.

This Bill will ensure that anyone who wishes to be considered for appointment to judicial office, including serving judges, will apply to the Commission and undergo the same application and interview processes.
Membership of the judiciary should also reflect the diversity of the population as a whole and a new diversity statement will commit the Judicial Appointments Commission to that objective.

I look forward to working with all members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to bring this legislation to enactment as soon as possible.”

The approval of this Bill follows a substantial process of consultations, in particular with the Attorney General, the European Commission and the Chief Justice.

Commenting on the changes made in the Bill to the General Scheme, Minister McEntee stated:
“In a change from the previously published General Scheme, three persons are to be recommended instead of five, with an additional two recommendations for a second and additional vacancies. This will ensure that we are meeting all of our necessary obligations under EU law.
I am strongly of the view that a candidate should be recommended only after being interviewed, so I have made this a requirement in the Bill.
Additionally, I have included a requirement that judicial appointments will reflect the need for candidates to undergo judicial training or continuous professional development.
I am committed to improving training and continuous professional development right across the justice sector. This is crucial to providing a better service to people who need to engage with our justice system and those who work within it – from our Gardaí to our judges – and I am pleased the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill reflects this priority.”

The Judicial Appointments Commission will set out best practice selection procedures including interviews and the knowledge, skills and attributes required of judges.