Transport - Thurles Information

Thurles Council Use Consultant To Decide Paint Colour For Liberty Square Businesses.

* Changes To Disabled or Invalid Parking In Liberty Square, Thurles.

* Thurles Municipal District Council Use Consultant To Decide Paint Colour For Liberty Square Businesses.

Picture shown above, indicate recent changes to Disabled or Invalid Parking in Liberty Square, Thurles. Initially sign posts identifying these parking areas [See Pic. I] were erected facing away from traffic [See Pic. 2] the wrong way. Now the same erected signs have been removed altogether [See pic. 3] and their postholes filled in with tarmac, [See Pic. 4].

Disabled or Invalided drivers, not familiar with the area, can now no longer find the spaces, shielded by parked cars.

But not to worry; once again it’s only taxpayers money.

On another matter; local press reports that Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin has been informed by District Administrator Ms Sharon Scully (Templemore Thurles Municipal District Council) of a proposed Liberty Square painting scheme.

From the report we understand that Ms Scully informed council members that a consultant had drawn up a “pallet of colours”, which would be used and she was asking for expressions of interest by property owners on the half upgraded Liberty Square area of the town.

It is all about Liberty Square.

Meanwhile, local press makes no public mention of the stench of sewage being experienced by shop owners on the money side of Liberty Square (distinct from the ‘Sunny side’).
We understand, however, that a representative of Thurles Municipal District Council has called to the shops in question, [latter stretching from Emmet Street to Slievenamon Road], following complaints having been received by said council. According to two shop owners, they were informed to forward any further complaints to “Irish Water”.

We further understand, that at least one premises has contacted their landlord, regarding the issue.

One shop owner informed us that an Irish Water representative has since called, but couldn’t get any smell.
Perhaps his olfactory sensory neurons, which are found normally in a small patch of tissue high inside the nose and connected directly to his brain, were out of action at the time. Or perhaps the prevailing wind, blowing from a westerly direction, had failed to materialise on that given day.

Meanwhile, regardless of this stench; same akin to sewage, (according to my chemosensory system), Fianna Fail Councillor Mr Hanafin, [again according to Local Press] has stated that dereliction is a major problem in town centres across Co. Tipperary and the only way he could see out of it, was by the council issuing ‘Compulsory Purchase Orders’ on these properties, or else charging a ‘dereliction levy’ on property owners.

Cllr Hanafin, did not elaborate on what all the properties would be then used for, once ‘compulsory purchase’ had been undertaken by the council, using of course good old taxpayers money.

A listen, sure you have to be saying something when elected to a position of power within your community.

Expect Three Days Of Road Traffic Delays On N62 From Wednesday Next.

Temporary traffic management is expected to be in place on the N62 Templemore to Thurles Road, at Brittas, north of the town, on the morning of Wednesday next, June 29th, 2022, from 7:00am. Same traffic management is expected to be in place until 7:00pm on the following Friday evening, July 1st, 2022.

**N62, south side, between Thurles Shopping Centre and the junction of Clongour Road, Thurles**.
*Pics: G. Willoughby*.

A Stop & Go temporary traffic light system will be in place to facilitate road resurfacing in the area already stated and significant vehicle delays can be expected.

Meanwhile, on the N62, south side, between Thurles Shopping Centre and the junction of Clongour Road; here the road surface, same constructed less than 12 months ago, has already begun to sink and disintegrate in two areas.
However, we are not aware of any remedial action due to take place here.
For evidence see the two images shown above.

Persons Charged Following Enquiry Into Alleged Tipperary School Bus Cartel.

It is understood that 14 persons have been charged regarding their alleged involvement in a cartel that is said to have rigged tenders to operate school transport routes, here in Co. Tipperary and further afield in Co. Waterford, Co. Limerick and Co. Kilkenny.

Bid rigging in public procurement situations can be particularly harmful; artificially increasing prices and ultimately costs, while reducing the quality of services the State provides.

Same legal action now follows on from investigations carried out by the ‘Competition and Consumer Protection Commission‘ (CCPC).

The enquiry by the CCPC had focused on supposed alleged abuse of the State school bus system, latter which undertakes to transport some 100,000 children each day (or some 40 million journeys annually), between students rural homes and their places of education.

Bus Éireann, latter which operates the service on behalf of the Department of Education utilize a tendering process, using the government’s tenders portal, before hiring some 4000 subcontractors, who in turn are obliged to bid, in order to operate specific rural school bus routes.

The submission to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) follows an enquiry into alleged “price rigging” in Co. Tipperary, which is said to have begun initially back in 2016. The CCPC claim to have received a letter from an anonymous insider; latter who has provided information about this continued practise and which officials believed may to be more widespread here in the Irish Republic.

The anonymous letter is understood to contain details of various meetings and calls, which it is alleged took place between those involved, before tenders were eventually submitted to operate certain school runs.

The CCPC, working in conjunction with officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau are understood to have raided some 20 premises. and subsequent charges follow an examination by the DPP of the evidence gathered by the CCPC.

The regulatory agency has now opened a Confidential Telephone Line [Tel. No. 087 7631378] for any person wishing to make further disclosures in relation to this alleged abuse of the State School Bus service.

Note: The Cartel Immunity Programme operated by the CCPC, in conjunction with Director of Public Prosecutions, means that a member of a cartel may avoid prosecution if they are the first member to come forward, reveal their involvement in illegal cartel activity and fully co-operate with the investigation.

Temporary Traffic Management On R-659, At Cabragh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

**Cabragh Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**

Temporary Traffic Management will be in place on the R 659, Cabragh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary from 7:00am on Wednesday morning next, June 15th, to 7:00pm on Friday evening, June 19th next, 2022 due to road resurfacing.

Temporary traffic management and diversions will be in place for the duration of the works with local access only.

Thurles exam students, normally using this route, should make special note, in case of unforeseen delays.

June 2nd 2022 – Shame On Thurles Municipal District Councillors.

**Empty flower beds and empty dirty flower containers**, **Thurles June 1st, 2022**

Today is June 2nd, 2022, and as yet not one flower container or flower bed has been planted this year by Thurles Municipal District Council staff.

Perhaps one of our local councillors might like to communicate to the public on why this has been allowed to happen.

Before the introduction of Property Tax all of our flower containers and hanging baskets were planted. Today, no public hanging basket exists and expensive flower containers remain filthy and empty of plants, except for what seeded itself over last year.

**Thurles Railway Bridge, 1st June, 2022.**

Yes, we have some large new pink flower containers on Liberty Square filled with “Box Hedging” and lavender-blue flowered “Catmint”, but these containers also are being neglected, with much evidence of “Dock” plants and “Yellow Rocket Cress”, same never ever intended for planting.

Thankfully, Thurles Shopping Centre and Lidl Supermarket have privately set the example, with both premises shaming Thurles Municipal District Council officials and our local elected councillors.

**River Suir Thurles yesterday, June 1st, 2022.**

Between poor street surfaces, a river that currently looks like an open sewer and street lighting burning 24 hours each day; 4 questions:
(1) Why do we need a tourist office?
(2) Why do we continue to pay Property Tax?
(3) Why do we continue to pay the salaries of failed administrators?
(4) Why are Thurles residents accepting poor standards of administration in complete silence?