Thurles Information

Update On Allied Irish Bank’s Sponsorship Of One Hundred Million Trees Project.

Readers will be aware of previous discussions regarding the “One Hundred Million Trees Project”, sponsored by Allied Irish Bank (AIB), situated on Liberty Square, in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Hereunder, please view a video, taken on the day of the planting, featuring so many of our local secondary school pupils.

This ambitious initiative, which deployed a novel planting technique perfected in Japan, known as The Miyawaki Method, is well on course to plant 550,000 trees across Ireland at hundreds of sites, by May of this year.
The project’s ambitious aim is to densely plant between 1,000 and 2,500 native Irish trees at a time across small areas of land using this ‘the Miyawaki method’, named after Japanese Botanist, Professor Akira Miyawaki.
This method of overplanting trees has been successful in creating over 1,700 forests worldwide, including three established forests here in Ireland.
By planting excess trees together, they grow considerably faster, denser, are more biodiverse, and most importantly create a very rapid carbon sink. This inexpensive approach requires significantly smaller planting areas and can be conducted on unused or fallow land across Ireland.
Dense areas of afforestation can also actually play a role in reducing the impact of forest fires, while at the same time provide excellent areas of biodiversity.
Thurles.Info will be returning to this area within the next few weeks to observe at first hand the progress made, following the planting of these trees.

Operation FEVER Results In Searches By Gardaí Targeting Child Sexual Abuse.

In all some nine locations have been searched by Gardaí and 18 devices seized as evidence, with further arrests expected to be made soon.

Gardaí are understood to have carried out searches at locations across the island of Ireland and seized 18 devices as part of an international operation targeting the sharing and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

These nine searches were co-ordinated by the Online Child Exploitation Unit within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau and were conducted by gardai attached to Divisional Protective Services Units, with a number of arrests now expected to be made within the immediate future.

Operation FEVER, led by the Polish National Police in conjunction with Europol’s Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (JCAT) and 11 other member states; has led to 166 arrests to-date, across the continent of Europe, of which 111 of those individuals arrested, known have shared or distributed child sexual abuse material.

Those arrested have also been identified as having produced paedophile films and images; run paedophile online forums, and are suspected of having physically abused children.

European police services with the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the National Crime Agency (NCA); the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), have carried out more than 770 searches across Europe, seizing in excess of 594,000 files contained on more than 6,000 illegal digital media platforms.

Tipperary Co. Co. Grant Permission For Thurles Single Storey McDonald’s Restaurant.

Correspondence forwarded, by Tipperary Co. Council on the 9th of April last, 2025, to McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Ltd. regarding their applications for the granting of planning permission for a drive-thru McDonald’s Restaurant here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, [Ref. No. 2460829]; we can now confirm that permission has been granted.

The correspondence forwarded to McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Ltd. reads as follows:

A Chara,
In pursuance of the powers conferred upon them by the above mentioned Acts, Tipperary County Council has by Order dated 09/04/2025 decided to grant you permission for development of land namely:-the development of a single storey drive-thru restaurant including the ancillary sale of hot food for consumption off the premises with an associated corral area, elevational signage, modifications to existing vehicular access off the Thurles Relief Road, car parking including accessible parking spaces, grill bays, EV charging spaces, bicycle parking, a height restrictor, customer order points with associated canopies, totem signage, free-standing signage, banner frames and digital menu boards, ESB substation and kiosk, landscaping including outdoor furniture/seating area with parasols, boundary treatments, lighting, and all associated site and engineering works necessary to facilitate the development.

A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared and is submitted to the planning authority with the application at Land at Slievenamon Road and Thurles Relief Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For the reason(s) stated in schedule 1 and subject to the condition(s) stated on schedule 2 (1 to 15, pages 1 to 3). If there is no appeal against the said decision, a Grant of permission in accordance with the Decision shall be issued as soon as maybe, but not
earlier than 3 working days after the expiration of the period within which an appeal may be made to An Bord Pleanala. (See Footnote at end of document).
It should be noted that until a Grant of a Permission has been issued the development in question is not authorised. The applicant is advised that unless the development described above is carried out within five (5) years from the date of Grant of PERMISSION, planning permission will cease to have effect.

Signed on behalf of Geraldine Quinn, (Director of Services) – Date: 9th April, 2025.

Amongst the many conditions included in the permission granted are:–
The development, should it go ahead, will not be permitted to operate outside the hours of 6:00am and 10:00pm, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Planning Authority.
REASON: In the interests of residential amenity.

Prior to development commencing detailed design of the ventilation, air conditioning and mechanical equipment required to service the development shall be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Authority. The equipment shall be located as per the details proposed and shall incorporate noise and odour mitigation measures in the design.
REASON: In the interest of residential and visual amenity.

Lighting will not be permitted to impact significantly on the amenities of adjoining properties or the safety of traffic on the public road. In the event that the Planning Authority receives complaints from neighbouring properties about light spillage, the Planning Authority will request the carrying out of a survey, by a suitably qualified person.
REASON: In the interest of residential amenity and traffic safety.

Free field noise levels attributable to the development (when assessed at all noise sensitive locations) during operation shall not exceed 55d B LAeq,T.

This grant of permission does not extend to the banner frames located at the northwestern and western ends of the site. These shall be omitted. Details of the banner frame and sign at the site entrance shall be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Authority prior to development commencing.

All surface waters drainage from the site shall be discharged to the surface water sewer as proposed via a class 1 Petrol Interceptor.
The surface water drainage system shall be revised to incorporate nature based sustainable drainage measures that shall be integrated with the soft landscaping and tree planting proposals. Details of these measures shall be illustrated on a revised drainage plan for the site (to a scale of 1:500) that shall be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Authority prior to development commencing.

Proposal To Extend Garda Commissioner’s Term Of Office Approved.

Commissioner to remain in office until September 1st 2025, while new successor is identified and appointed.
Garda Board and Policing, Security and Community Safety Act (PCSA) to extend term of office.

The Irish Government, today, approved a proposal in principle to extend the term of office of Garda Commissioner Mr Drew Harris, until September 1st 2025.
The Commissioner was due to retire on June 1st 2025, however the selection competition for a successor will be ongoing at that point.

A proposal to extend his term has been approved in principle to provide certainty and stability pending the appointment of his successor. The process to extend the Garda Commissioner’s term is provided for in the recently commenced Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.

The Government will now consult with the newly established Garda Board and Policing and Community Safety Authority, as provided for under the Act.

When this consultation is completed the Government will then make a formal decision to confirm the extension of the Commissioner’s term. Regulations providing for the new retirement date for the Commissioner will be brought to government for approval at the same time.

Death Of Michael Heaphy, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death, today Tuesday 8th April 2025, of Mr Michael Heaphy, Knockalonga, Lisnamrock, Coalbrook, (The Acres), Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his sisters Ann (Kennedy) and Catherine (Fitzpatrick) and more recently his grandnephew Damien Dempsey; Mr Heaphy passed away peacefully, while in the care of staff at Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; his sister Mary, brother-in-law Tommy, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and good friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Heaphy, will repose at O’Connell’s Funeral Home, Killenaule, Thurles, (Eircode E41 HH66), on Thursday afternoon next from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, before be received into the Church of the Assumption, Ballingarry (SR), Thurles, at 7:30pm same evening.
Requiem Mass for Mr Heaphy will be celebrated on Friday morning, April 11th, at 10:30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in the adjoining graveyard.

The extended Heaphy family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.