Thurles Information

Covid-19 Cases On Island Of Éire, In Past 24 Hours, Reaches 4,169.

Enough people are NOT adhering to very basic transmission-prevention practices, hence the rise in Covid cases.

The Department of Health has reported 3,174 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, here in the Irish Republic. Dr Tony Holohan has also reported that, sadly, 56 deaths have occurred since last Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths related to Covid-19 here to 5,492.

There were 460 patients currently in our hospitals suffering from the virus, 86 of whom are being treated in ICU’s around the Irish State. One in three beds in our ICUs are currently occupied by people with Covid-19, with the remainder occupied by people with other serious illnesses or trauma.

The CEO of Limerick University Hospital Group, latter serving North Tipperary has stated there has been a drop in the number of patients being treated for Covid-19, since last week,

In Northern Ireland a further 995 cases of coronavirus have been reported, over the same time-frame, down from 1,114 cases recorded yesterday. Sadly 10 more deaths have also been confirmed since yesterday. There were 378 patients with Covid-19 in northern hospitals, down from 381 reported yesterday.

Stormont’s Health Minister Mr Robin Swann has warned that further coronavirus restrictions may be necessary, if pressures on Northern Ireland’s health service continue to mount.

The HSE’s chief clinical officer, Dr Colm Henry has praised healthcare workers, stating they were the reason why there was a very low level of hospital acquired Covid infections within our hospitals currently.

“Where Tipperary leads Ireland follows”, [Thomas Osborne Davis, editor of The Nation.]

Figures released by the HSE, show that every county within the Irish Republic has at least an 80% full vaccination rate.
On the other hand, some 95.8% of vaccine eligible people, within Co. Tipperary, have now received at least their first dose; while 94.6% of our residents, over the age of 12, are now fully vaccinated, thus ranking Tipperary in 4th place nationally, on the current Covid-19 vaccination uptake chart.

Abroad

German Health Minister Jens Spahn has stated that his country, somewhat like Ireland over the past few weeks, is experiencing a ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’, and has called for tougher action to tame a resurgence in Covid cases.

The Dutch government has decided to reimpose measures, including the wearing of face masks, aimed at slowing the latest spike in Covid-19 infections.
The use of a “corona pass”, showing proof of a Covid-19 vaccination or recent negative coronavirus test, would be broadened as of November 6th to public places including museums, gyms and outdoor terraces, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has stated.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have unanimously supported broad use of Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11, with shots potentially being administrated as soon as today. They maintain that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.

In New Zealand, authorities have sealed off, since midnight, the city of Auckland using police cordons, as they enforce a lock-down in the region, over fears of an undetected community transmission of Covid-19 in that area.

Please do continue to keep yourself and your family safe by
regularly washing your hands and wearing a mask when appropriate.

Tipperary Gardaí Seize Amphetamines & Cash.

Yesterday morning at approximately 11.30am members of the Detective Branch; Unit D at Carrick-on-Suir; Clonmel District Drugs Unit and Regional Dog Unit from Henry Street, carried out a search, under warrant, at an address in the Ninemilehouse area of Co. Tipperary.

**Photo courtesy An Garda Síochána, Co. Tipperary.**

Amphetamines with an estimated street value of €8,000 (pending analysis) were seized, together with €1,900 in cash, mobile phones, a small quantity of tablets and a digital scales.

Amphetamine are a stimulant. They can be in a powder or tablet form, which you can sniff, swallow or inject. Speed is an off-white or pinkish powder and can sometimes look like crystals. Usage can cause heart failure, mental health problems such as psychosis, paranoia, delusions, anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression and hallucinations.

A male in his 30’s was arrested at the scene under the Provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Clonmel Garda Station. Following questioning he was since been released and a file is currently being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

EPA – Pace At Which Improvements In Waste Water Treatment Is Being Delivered Is Too slow.

Unacceptable delays and the pace at which essential improvements in waste water treatment are being delivered is too slow, says EPA.

34 towns and villages release raw sewage into the environment every day, and a third of these will continue to do so after 2024.
12 large towns and cities did not meet waste water treatment standards set to protect our environment. These areas generate half of Ireland’s waste water.
Ireland will need substantial and sustained investment to bring public waste water treatment up to standard.

The EPA report on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2020, released today, shows that the pace at which essential improvements in waste water treatment are being delivered is too slow.

Irish Water is making progress in resolving environmental issues and the number of priority areas has reduced from 148 to 97 over the past four years. However, there is still a long way to go to bring all deficient treatment systems up to standard.

There have been further delays in providing treatment for many of the 34 towns and villages discharging raw sewage, and as a result over one third of these areas will not receive treatment until after 2024.

Investment in waste water infrastructure is bringing environmental benefits to some areas. The number of large towns and cities failing to meet EU treatment standards is down from 28 in 2017 to 12 in 2020. However, the final deadline for all large urban areas to meet these treatment standards was 2005.

Commenting on the report, Dr Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said: “It is unacceptable that 15 years after the final deadline to comply, half of Ireland’s urban waste water is still not treated to the basic EU standards. There are repeated delays in providing proper treatment at many areas, and this continues to put our environment and people’s health at risk. It is clear that Ireland will still need substantial investment over many years to bring our public waste water treatment plants and public sewers up to standard. Irish Water must deliver the essential infrastructure in as timely a manner as possible and resolve the underlying causes for the delays in upgrading treatment systems.”

The EPA report identifies the priority areas where improvements are most urgently needed and will deliver the greatest environmental benefits.

Mr Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager said: “While we are seeing progress at some areas, it is very concerning that Irish Water still has no clear action plans setting out when and how it will improve treatment at many of the priority areas where waste water is threatening the quality of our rivers and coastal waters. It is essential that Irish Water improves treatment to resolve the environmental issues highlighted by the EPA and provides clear, site specific action plans and time frames to carry out this work.”

The report contains key actions recommended for Irish Water as follows:

Direct resources to the priority areas and ensure there is a clear plan and time frame to resolve the environmental issues at each area.
Resolve the underlying causes for delays in upgrading treatment systems and deliver upgrade works in as timely a manner as possible.
Complete the impact assessments for shellfish waters and address the information shortfalls on the condition and performance of collecting systems.

The report is now available on the EPA Website.

Padraic Maher To Launch Thurles Sarsfields GAA Story Volume II, on Friday Next.

The essential and most perfect Christmas gift for lovers of all things GAA.

The launch of Thurles Sarsfields GAA Story Volume II, 1960-2019, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic; but gladly as restrictions are easing, the launch of this much awaited book will now take place on next Friday, November 5th, in the Thurles Sarsfields Social Centre at 8.00 p.m.

Performing the launch, to which all are welcome, is Tipperary hurling star, Padraic Maher, Sarsfields most decorated hurler of the modern era.

Volume 2 of the book continues the epic story of this club, which is as old as the GAA itself. It takes the reader through its peaks and troughs from the heady days of the sixties, through the barren years that followed, to the club’s return to the glory days of the last decade.

The opening of the Social Centre, the inclusion of Ladies Football and Camogie and the club’s development of new grounds on the Racecourse Road, are all highlighted, as are many of the developments in Thurles during the period.

This hardback book, which runs to 752 pages, has an amazing array of photographs and a detailed statistical section.

Books, costing €25, will be on sale in the centre from 6.00p.m. and copies will be available later at: –
Bookworm, Parnell Street, Thurles. Tel: 0504-22257.
Email: info@bookworm.ie
and at
Eason in Thurles Shopping Centre, Tel: 0504-24588.
Email: thurles@easonfranchise.com

NB: For those who missed out on Volume 1, copies will be available on the night, at a bargain price of €40 for both volumes.

All are welcome to attend this Book Launch.

TUS Tipperary Campuses Awarded ‘Green Flag’.

TUS Tipperary Campuses awarded Green Flag as world leaders gather for COP26.

As world leaders gathered for COP26 in Glasgow, the Tipperary campuses of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, gathered to raise the An Taisce Green Flag in Clonmel and Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

**Pictured L-R** **in Thurles**: **Mr Michael John O’Mahony *(**An Taisce Environmental Education Unit**)*, Seamus Hoyne *(**Head of TUS Thurles campus**)* and Professor Vincent Cunnane** **(President of TUS**).

The green flag, [which was presented today (Tuesday) to students and staff at the TUS Thurles Campus, and yesterday (Monday) to staff and students at the Clonmel Digital Campus,] recognises the efforts of the campus communities in reducing waste and increasing recycling as part of the Green Campus Programme.

The programme is an international environmental education and award scheme that promotes long-term, whole institution action for the environment, and empowers both students and staff to create a more balanced campus community, by reducing environmental impacts and associated costs.

Congratulating the staff and students of both campuses, President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunnane, said that TUS is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which underpins the strategy of the Thurles Campus.

Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “This Green Flag is a physical demonstration of our commitment to the SDGs and raising it today is a great milestone. It is also fitting that we are raising this Green Flag in the first week of COP26. The climate crisis and biodiversity crisis is challenging all leaders in society to radically consider how we can address these issues. However, there are immense opportunities in the future as we adjust our technologies, behaviour and economies to ensure we have a sustainable world in which we can live, work and play. TUS Thurles campus and Clonmel campus can visibly demonstrate that we are taking action.”

Director of the An Taisce Environmental Education Unit Dr Michael John O’Mahony, also congratulated the TUS Green-Campus Committee for initiating an outstanding programme on site in Thurles and Clonmel. He stated “The long-term commitment of staff and students is clear to see. There are numerous best practice examples taking place. These are especially evident in links to the learning on campus and utilising the campus as a living lab. The student projects and annual green weeks are outstanding. We look forward to watching how the Green-Campus journey in TUS develops in the coming years. We are delighted to acknowledge and recognise TUS Tipperary on their Green-Campus journey”.

Meanwhile TUS Lecturer, Department of Applied Science and TUS Green Campus Secretary Mr Kevin Healion, was setting his sights on the future of the Green Campus Programme – biodiversity. He stated “Every year I am amazed at the energy, ideas and skills that our students bring. I’m delighted to see the student involvement deepening with students doing work placements and now final year projects on our next theme of biodiversity. I think that’s a theme which has wide appeal and where the Thurles and Clonmel campuses can really shine, fortunate as we are with large land areas with tree, hedge and grassland habitats. My wish is for TUS to demonstrate best practice in how campus developments can integrate habitat protection for multiple benefits – wildlife and carbon storage, but also environmental appreciation, mental health and recreation through for example a combined walking / biodiversity trail.”

Head of the TUS Thurles campus, Mr Seamus Hoyne thanked everyone for their participation in the project, stating, “The Green Campus flag is a physical manifestation of the efforts of the students and staff on the Thurles and Clonmel campus to address the sustainability agenda. The strategy for the Thurles campus is focused on ensuring that everything we do contributes positively to the sustainability agenda. Our programmes will produce graduates and leaders who can make a difference, our campuses will be demonstrators and exemplars and our research will drive new innovations.”