Politics: From the words Poli (Meaning ‘Many’) and Tics (Meaning ‘Blood Sucking Parasites’).
The Thurles Roofless Bicycle Shed.
A newly erected bicycle shed to house eighteen bikes at Leinster House, latter the seat of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Ireland has cost more than €335,000. The above expenditure could have purchased a 4 bed, 3 bath, 138 m² detached house, or 3 semi-detached council houses each with 3 Bedrooms, and 1 Bath, here in urban Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Initially hailed by Transport Minister Mr Eamon Ryan TD, as an excellent example of public sector climate action, this shelter, required archaeological advice, to make sure it fitted into the parliamentary complex, at a cost to the taxpayer of €2,952.
We are advised that over 600 civil service staff support the functioning of the Oireachtas in Leinster House. Add this number to the 160 TDs attending for 3 days each working week, [Note: 124 men and 36 women (latter only 22.5%)]; one hopes that this “18 Space Bicycle Shed” can be easily expanded.
Then again many may be working from home or using “The Dart” (“The Dort”, for the benefit of those commuting from Sandymount and Foxrock)“, or (God forbid) these rainy days, using other public transport. One thing we do know, the vast majority of these 760 workers and their bosses are not arriving on bicycles, but then again we never get to see what is parked around the back of that formidable structure and are the great unwashed permitted to mix with nobility?
We further learn, courtesy of the Office of Public Works, that a high-quality structure was needed because of the building’s sensitive location.
Note: Off the record, and keep tight lipped on this, Thurles does not have even one Bus Shelter, and when Tipperary Co. Council learn of the above costs of an 18 Space Bicycle Shed, local commuters had better continue to carry their parasols and hope for non-windy conditions.
According to numerous press outlets, other breakdown costs; provided by the Office of Public Works, shows that €322,282 was spent on the main construction and finished installation; while €10,816 was paid for quantity surveying services and contract administration services.
However, asked for a copy of the business case for this project, the OPW confirmed that none had been required. On a more positive note: unlike roofless Thurles Bicycle stalls on Liberty Square, Thurles, shown above, at least the 18 cyclists in Leinster House won’t have to ride home on wet saddles or come out to find someone has reversed into their “High Nelly” .
Looks like Tipperary Co. Council are not the only wasters of taxpayer funding.
Some 20 submissions in total were forwarded to Tipperary Co. Council in reference to current plans submitted on the Phase 2 Liberty Square Public Realm Scheme. All submissions can be read in full by our readers, simply by accessing and scrolling down the page located at the LINK SHOWN HERE.
Proposed Liberty Square West Layout (Phase 2).
The closing time and date for all submissions closed at 4:30pm today, Friday August 30th, 2024.
No local resident consumers/shoppers made submissions or raised serious concerns about the planned designs for either Liberty Square or the several adjacent streets i.e. Rossa Street, Parnell Street, Nicholas Street (Cúchulainn Road) and Friar Street. Same have learned, from passed interactions with regards to such submissions sent to Tipperary Co. Council, that their opinions went unacknowledged and were rejected outright without discussion.
Parnell Street (formerly New Street)at the junction (right) withCúchulainn Road (formerly Nicholas Street).
In the main; Tipperary Co. Council now stand accused of failing to conduct detailed trials in respect of such planned changes to the town centre traffic flow and also of failing to fully consider the real impact of such proposed changes, on future ability of local businesses to continue to trade profitably.
Thurles.Info will be highlighting further failings, with regards Thurles planning issues, in the coming days.
Work on the new restaurant conversion in Thurles Park’s car park area, latter situated close to‘The Source’ building in Cathedral Street, has temporally ground to a halt due to the presence of the Common Pipistrelle and Soprano Pipistrelle bat species. Following a survey, ecologists have found that a small number of these Pipistrelles Bats, together with house sparrows were using the building. Recent surveys indicate that since 2003 the soprano pipistrelle has increased significantly, while the common pipistrelle has also increased, albeit more slowly.
Pic 1: The Pipistrelles Bat Species. Pic 2: Closed car park area with 8 year old landscaping including trees removed. Pics: G. Willoughby.
Construction work begun by the contractor has now been paused temporarily until a Derogation License can be issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Ireland remains listed under Annex IV of the EC (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations and as a result of this work, which could capture, kill, damage or destroy their roosts or disturb them at an important part of their life cycle, cannot take place without first obtaining a Derogation Licence. This licence is issued under Regulation 54 of the Regulations, and strict criteria must be met before such a licence can be fully approved.
The project being undertaken in the area had been expected to take 12 months to fully complete, at an estimated cost to the Irish taxpayer of €3.4M. Modification of the building in question will see a mid-19 century farm yard shed being converted into yet another 83 seater Thurles café, with a canopy planned to be erected over the open car park area, thus reducing current existing car parking from 49 to 33 spaces (including 2 disabled parking spaces).
The area had been totally revamped, at great expense, just 8 years ago. Same upgrade had included a partially bricked footpaths area, including steps, safety railings, flowerbeds and 10 X 4.5 metre (14.5 foot) high trees; latter fully planted with various shrubs, thus greatly enhancing this area. All this landscaping has now been ripped up and removed (See Image above) and the car park closed for use by the public for 12 months, greatly affecting footfall within the town centre.
With the closure of the Thurles town car park beside ‘The Source’; parking for all vehicles used by persons attempting to do business or attend religious services in Thurles is now at a premium.
The car park rented by Tipperary Co. Council, situated south east of the Munster Hotel, for the past at least two years has 3 car parking spaces, unavailable due to a fallen tree.
The tree, latter a victim of a wind storm two years ago, luckily now hides a vast amount of litter, were Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) ever to come a calling. See images hereunder.
Litter permitted to congregate behind a fallen tree in Munster Hotel Car Park for past 2 years. Pic. G. Willoughby
Meanwhile; the people anxious and encouraged to attend Thurles Swimming Pool and Thurles Leisure Centre, latter erected by funding from local rate payers; the owners, managers and beneficiaries being Tipperary Co. Council, are forced to park on double continuous yellow lines, due to this aforementioned closure.
Speaking of Thurles Swimming Pool; to the rear of this building administration appears to be missing here also. It appears what isn’t readily on view to the public doesn’t exist. See images hereunder.
Dumped filters, mats and cardboard strewn at rear of Thurles swimming pool. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Just a few metres away the large car park underneath ‘The Source’ building, remains closed to the public, since March 2020. Despite no public access, three cars were parked in this underneath car park today, possibly owned by persons working in the building. However, the interior continues to show no effort is being made to repair the never completed ceiling insulation, torn down by the idle hands of vandals.
Sad and deplorable state, for the past 4 year, of this never sealed interior ceiling insulation, pictured today (22/8/2024), from within ‘The Source’ car parking area . Pic. G. Willoughby.
One hastens to add, where was the CCTV supposedly operating in the area, when this same vandalism was in progress? The time has come for either resignations or indeed sackings from within the Thurles Municipal Council official grouping, due to their inability to manage our town, allowing it to slide, headlong, downhill in a deafening silence.
Thurles.Info’s ‘Eye in the Sky’, swooped down to take a closer look this morning at the most recent re-designing of streets in Thurles. Robert Emmet Street (often spelt ‘Emmett‘ situatedimmediately to the rear of Tesco) has been the scene of the latest attempts by a motorised vehicle to change the Thurles landscape.
Badly damaged ‘Watery Mall’ Famine Wall. Pic: G. Willoughby.
This time the object of someone’s attention was the Great Famine 1847 stone river wall. This wall in recent years; during the Spring and Summer seasons, has successfully hidden the noxious weeds, the dumped plastic wrappers, the tin cans and the glass and plastic bottles.
Biodiversity sign hidden by supposedly biodiversity duringthe‘No Mow May Ever’ season. Pic: G. Willoughby.
I hasten to mention that this same wall has also hidden the inability of town officials to undertake the cutting of the grass and noxious weeds, which in turn grants cover to water rats, allowing them to frolic freely of an evening; and all in the name of biodiversity which of course includes every bacterium that makes up our natural world.
Does Thurles still needs a Ring Road before 2040 I ask?
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