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North Tipperary Co Council Lay Off 30 Temp Staff

According to Tipp FM Radio & North Tipperary Co Councillor Mr John Carroll, some 30 temporary staff, presently employed by North County Council, have all been issued with Notices of Employment Termination, to come into effect from September next.

The staff affected are employed in the Roads section of the Council & their “lay off,” will have a direct impact on the future of the North Tipperary Roads programme.  Speculation is that these cuts are the result of failure by Minister Phil Hogan to collect his unjustifiable & inequitable €100 Household Charge. Nationally 600,000 properties nationwide have yet to be registered by owners, a job that may go to Revenue, when it takes over collection of the levy next year.

Looks like yet another Fine Gael/Labour vote loosing exercise, here in the forgotten county, latter whose population appear happy to accept weekly, action-less political spin, while some of their Tipperary Senators & TD’s fail to turn up for work, and thus earn their exorbitant salaries.

Staff at the Local Government Management Agency, (LGMA), the group charged with collecting the household charge, have recently received unacceptable death threats & abuse, including a shotgun cartridge sent in the post, & that’s according to LGMA’s CEO Paul McSweeney.

While normal civilised people these days will totally frown on this type of behaviour, declaring is totally unacceptable, Phil Hogan is obviously no historian and is not aware of the happenings, when forced collection of a similar form of unjust taxation was attempted, in his own county of Kilkenny, in 1831.

The Tithe War

The Tithe War (Irish: Cogadh na nDeachúna) was a campaign which began with nonviolent civil disobedience, but later became punctuated by sporadic violent episodes here in Ireland between 1830 & 1836, in angry reaction to the enforcement of Tithes on subsistence farmers and others, for the upkeep of the established state church, the Church of Ireland. The idea of Tithe Taxes goes back a long way to the Reformation of 1517 & its idea sprang from the Christian Bible, possibly from Leviticus 27:30: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy unto the Lord.

Continue reading North Tipperary Co Council Lay Off 30 Temp Staff

Man Dies In North Tipperary Collision

A male driver, believed to be in his 60’s, has been killed in yet another road traffic accident here in North Tipperary.

Gardaí in Templemore state the single vehicle collision, which occurred on the old Urlingford to Thurles road, between New Line and Mary Willie’s, happened at around 7.00pm last night.

The roadway was closed off, for technical examination, but has since re-opened to traffic.

Gardaí in Templemore are appealing for anyone, who may have information regarding this single-vehicle collision, to contact them at Tel: +353 504 35400.

The victim has not yet been named, until all family members are notified.

Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis.

Single Car Collision At Holycross

Two young men, one aged nineteen and one aged in his twenties, are in hospital today, following a car accident in Holycross village near Thurles, in Co.Tipperary at around 2.30am this morning.

Both men, believed to be local, are understood to have been the occupants of one car and no other vehicle was involved. The accident scene is now sealed off for forensic & technical examination and motorists are warned that diversions are currently in place.

Unconfirmed reports, state that both men were treated at Clonmel Hospital, before being moved to Cork University Hospital (CUH).  The passenger in the vehicle, latter understood to be a Nissan, sustained two broken legs and possible back injuries.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses, who may have information, to contact Thurles Garda Station, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co.Tipperary, Telephone No: 0504-25100.

Traffic Management Plan For Thurles Bridge Repairs

Two cutwater supports in state of collapse

Details of the temporary “Traffic Management Plan for Thurles Bridges,” upcoming rehabilitation project is as follows.
A temporary traffic diversion route will be in operation around the town of Thurles from 9.00 tomorrow morning (7th August 2012) until completion of the works estimated to take 3 months. The traffic diversion route will in particular impact on the traffic crossing the Suir Bridge in the town, but long delays can be expected at the three bridge locations.

The temporary Diversion Route around Thurles as shown on the map  (Click Here for Map) will be signposted and will be in operation for the duration of the rehabilitation works on the three bridges and is as follows hereunder:-

Thurles bound traffic travelling South on the M8 Motorway – Traffic destined for the eastern side of Thurles town should exit the M8 at Junction 5. Traffic destined for the western side of Thurles town should follow the diversion signs, proceed along the M8 and exit the M8 at Junction 6 to approach Thurles via the N62.

Thurles bound traffic travelling North on the R639 – Traffic destined for the western side of Thurles should travel via the Horse and Jockey on the R639 and approach Thurles by the N62. Traffic destined for the eastern side of Thurles should follow the diversion signs and continue on the R639 to Turnpike and approach Thurles via the N75.

Thurles bound traffic travelling North on the M8 Motorway – Traffic destined for the west side of Thurles should exit the M8 at Junction 6 (Horse and Jockey) and approach Thurles via the N62. Traffic destined for the east side of Thurles should exit the M8 at Junction 6 (Horse & Jockey) and follow the diversion signs, proceed along the R639 and exit at the Turnpike and approach Thurles via the N75.

Eastbound traffic from the north and west of Thurles – Traffic destined for the east travelling from the north and west side of Thurles should proceed to Thurles through Liberty Square and follow the diversion signs via the N62 to Junction 6 (Horse and Jockey) on the M8.

Local Traffic Management In Thurles

Suir Bridge
Two-way movement of local traffic will be operational on the Suir Bridge from 6:00am to 9:30am each morning and from 4.30pm to 6:30pm each evening. At other times one lane will be open under a temporary shuttle traffic management system using “stop go,” boards operated by the Bridge Maintenance Contractor. Vehicular access to Emmet Street from Liberty Square and vice versa will be closed during the rehabilitation works.
Turtulla Bridge
Works to Turtulla Bridge on the N62 near the Golf Club will be undertaken during normal construction working hours.
Drish Bridge
Works to Drish Bridge on the N75 located to the east of Thurles town will be undertaken during normal construction working hours.
At all times during the construction period traffic will be restricted to one lane from 9:30am in the morning to 4:30pm in the evening using a temporary shuttle traffic management system operated by the Contractor using stop go boards.

The operation of the temporary Traffic Management Plan will be reviewed regularly and updated, however travellers are warned to plan their intended journeys, allowing extra time in case of expected, yet unavoidable delays.

One would have hoped that temporary free parking would have been introduced into the town, in an attempt to encourage currently enjoyed regular trading during this period of serious upheaval, but it appears, with the exception of Councillor Ger Fogarty, no discussions by other Local Councillors, have taken place at all regarding this matter.

Thurles Regional Water Scheme Due To Start

North Tipperary County Council has announced that construction is about to commence on the Thurles Regional Water Supply Scheme.

This water supply scheme project is estimated to cost €10m to construct & the tender for the scheme is understood to have been won by Regan Civil Engineering.

The works, to be undertaken under Contract No 1, consist of 41km of trunk and distribution water mains and a 10,000 cu.m reservoir.

The current area of work is sited off-road & situated at Raheen & Farneybridge, Holycross. Application for the closure of the L-4123 roadway serving Bohernacrusha to Raheen, as and from the 20th August to 12th October, has also been sought & granted.

Contract No 2 of this project is estimated to cost €16 million and will include the construction of a Water Treatment Plant.