Thurles Information

Plans Submitted for 42-Home Development on Kickham Street, Thurles, Tipperary.

A significant new residential development has been proposed for Kickham Street in Thurles, potentially providing 42 homes close to the town centre.

Coolross Homes Ltd has submitted a planning application to Tipperary County Council for the development on lands at Innisfail, Kickham Street, Thurles, (Eircode E41 P8X8). The proposed scheme would offer a varied selection of houses and apartments intended to accommodate individuals, couples and families with different housing requirements.

Plans for the site include two-storey semi-detached houses containing two, three and four bedrooms. A two-storey terraced building incorporating one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments is also included in the application.

The mixture of property sizes is one of the most notable elements of the proposal. Smaller apartments could provide options for single occupants, couples, older residents or people hoping to establish their first independent home. Meanwhile, the larger houses would be more suitable for families requiring additional bedrooms and living space.

The proposed location could also prove attractive because of its proximity to the centre of Thurles. Residents would potentially be within convenient reach of shops, schools, sporting facilities, public services and other local amenities. Developing homes within or close to an established urban area may also help support local businesses while reducing dependence on longer journeys for everyday needs.

Thurles has experienced continued demand for additional housing, with several public and private residential projects progressing through planning, design or construction in recent years. Recent developments in the town have included homes of different sizes and tenures, demonstrating the need for a broad range of accommodation rather than a single type of property.

However, the submission of an application does not mean that construction has been approved. Tipperary County Council must examine the proposal in detail, including matters such as access, traffic, drainage, public services, residential amenity, landscaping and the development’s relationship with neighbouring properties.

Given the continued failure of local politicians to deliver meaningful progress on either the proposed Inner Relief Road or the long-awaited Outer Ring Road, traffic congestion must now become a central and decisive consideration in the assessment of every future planning application in Thurles. Any further permissions granted, without first addressing the town’s already serious traffic problems, risk placing an intolerable additional burden on an increasingly overstretched road network.

Members of the public will also have an opportunity to examine the planning documents and make observations within the statutory consultation period.

The council’s eventual decision will determine whether the 42-home development can proceed as submitted, requires amendments or is refused permission.

Templemore, Tipperary Welcomes Largest Garda Attestation Class Since 2019.

206 New Gardaí Join the Ranks as Recruitment Drive Builds Momentum.

An Garda Síochána has received a major personnel boost following the attestation of 206 new members at the Garda College in Templemore.

The graduating class, comprising 142 men and 64 women, is the largest single group of Gardaí to attest since 2019. It is also the third attestation ceremony held in 2026, reflecting the continued expansion of recruitment and training activity at the college.

Following their graduation, the probationer Gardaí will be assigned by the Garda Commissioner to divisions throughout the country. Their deployment is expected to strengthen frontline policing, increase visibility in communities and provide additional operational capacity during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Almost half of the new members will again serve in the capital. A total of 94 probationer Gardaí have been allocated to the Dublin Metropolitan Region. The Eastern Region will receive 56 members, while 31 will be deployed to the North-Western Region and 25 to the Southern Region.

The new Gardaí will begin their careers at a time when policing responsibilities are becoming increasingly complex. Alongside traditional community and frontline duties, members must respond to organised crime, cybercrime, online offending and evolving national and international security threats.
Ireland’s EU Presidency will create further operational demands, with Garda personnel responsible for supporting the security and smooth running of meetings and official events. Extensive planning and coordination have already taken place, and the additional members will help ensure that regular policing services can be maintained while these responsibilities are delivered.

The latest graduation represents another step in the Government’s plan to increase the strength of An Garda Síochána. Three recruitment competitions have taken place during the past 18 months, attracting more than 15,000 applications.
The training pipeline is also set to continue growing. More than 200 additional trainees are due to enter the Garda College during the week beginning 27th July, with further classes expected to commence at regular intervals throughout the year.

Budget 2026 provided more than €2.74 billion for An Garda Síochána. The funding supports the recruitment of sworn members and civilian staff, as well as investment in training, technology, equipment and other resources required to deliver modern policing services.

Following the latest attestation, An Garda Síochána has 14,733 sworn members. The organisation also includes 3,683 Garda staff and 304 Garda Reserve members, while another 604 trainees are progressing through their education and training.

The arrival of the 206 probationer Gardaí will provide an immediate increase in personnel across Ireland’s policing regions. Their deployment will also support the wider objective of building a larger and more sustainable Garda workforce capable of meeting the changing safety and security needs of communities throughout the country.

Death Of Jiri Hatala, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Thursday 23rd July 2026, of Mr Jiri Hatala, No.3 Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Mr Hatala, sadly, passed away at his place of ordinary residence.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Iveta, daughters Sara, Rosalinda, Lenka, Katerina, Radka and Iveta, sons Armando and Luksas, sons-in-law Viktor, Bartosz and Braig, daughter-in-law Alzbeta, his sister Lenka, grandchildren Mia, Kristina, Rihanna and Jordan, nieces Michelle and Julia, nephews William and Jacob, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Rest In Peace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The remains of Mr Hatala will repose at Kennedy’s Funeral Home, Upper Kickham Street, Dublin Road, Thurles (Eircode E41 XY47) on Sunday afternoon next, July 26th, from 4:00pm until 6:00pm same evening.

A Service of Cremation will take place on Monday afternoon, July 27th, in Shannon Crematorium, Illaunmanagh, Shannon, Co. Clare, (Eircode V14 PV30) at 1:00pm.

For those persons who would wish to attend the Service of Cremation for Mr Hatala, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, using the password JHK.

The extended Hatala 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.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

River Basin Management Service Announced As New Name For LAWPRO.

The Local Authority Waters Programme, commonly known as LAWPRO, has now officially become the River Basin Management Service, marking a new chapter in the organisation’s work to protect and restore water quality across Ireland.

The service works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It supports the protection of rivers, lakes, estuaries, groundwater and coastal waters through scientific catchment assessments, community engagement and coordinated local-authority action.
Although the organisation has adopted a new name and visual identity, its mission, structure and responsibilities remain unchanged. The new title is intended to provide a clearer description of its role in supporting Ireland’s national water-quality objectives and the implementation of river basin management plans.

Established in 2016, the organisation has worked with local authorities, government agencies, farmers, landowners, volunteers, environmental organisations and community groups to identify pressures affecting water quality and develop suitable local responses.

**Unsatisfactory state of the River Suir, in Thurles town centre, yesterday**.
*Pic; G. Willoughby.*

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Mr James Browne, TD, welcomed the announcement. He said the new name reflects the organisation’s important role in coordinating and supporting the protection and restoration of water bodies as Ireland prepares its next Water Action Plan.
The River Basin Management Service will continue carrying out catchment-science assessments, helping local authorities implement national water policy and providing financial assistance to community organisations working to improve their local waters.

Community participation has been central to the organisation’s activities. Since its establishment, approximately €7.5 million has been awarded to 1,208 projects through the Community Water Development Fund and Catchment Support Fund. Further support has been provided through the Small Grants and Events Scheme and annual Heritage Week funding.
These programmes enable communities to organise water-awareness events, citizen-science initiatives, biodiversity projects, environmental surveys and other activities that benefit local rivers, lakes and coastal areas.
The organisation’s work is particularly relevant to communities along the River Suir, including Thurles, where residents have raised concerns about declining water quality, excessive aquatic vegetation and changes affecting fish and other wildlife.

At a public meeting in County Tipperary in November 2025, attendees highlighted concerns about the River Suir from Thurles upstream. Issues discussed included nutrient pollution, excessive weed growth and reductions in fish and aquatic life. The meeting also heard that scientific assessments were being conducted across the wider Suir catchment to identify the main pressures affecting its waters.

**Despite all the talking, no serious effort by Tipperary Co. Council to halt effluent flowing from drainage pipes, easily visible from Thurles Town centre.**

Such assessments demonstrate the importance of combining scientific evidence with local knowledge. Information from residents, anglers, farmers and community groups can help specialists understand changes within a river and determine which measures are most likely to improve its ecological condition.

Mr Anthony Coleman, Director of Services at the River Basin Management Service, confirmed that the organisation will continue operating as the same local-authority shared service. Its work will remain focused on catchment science, community engagement, partnership development, funding support and collaborative action.
The service will maintain a science-led approach to identifying environmental pressures and targeting solutions. Its specialists examine water bodies and surrounding landscapes to establish which activities may be affecting water quality and where intervention is most urgently needed.

It will also continue developing its Nature-based Solutions programme and the Blue Dot Catchments Programme, which supports the protection of Ireland’s highest-quality waters. In addition, it will coordinate the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership and expand training programmes for local-authority staff.

By adopting the Local Government Ireland identity, the River Basin Management Service is strengthening its connection with the local-government sector and aligning itself with other shared services.
While its name has changed, its central commitment remains the same; bringing together science, local authorities and communities to protect Ireland’s waters and create healthier catchments for future generations.

Major Cloverhill Development To Add 267 New Prison Spaces.

A major expansion of Cloverhill Prison is set to begin, following the signing of a construction contract for a new accommodation block at the west Dublin facility.

The project, awarded to JJ Rhatigan & Co., is expected to take 22 months to complete. Once finished, it will increase Cloverhill’s capacity from 433 places to more than 700, adding 267 spaces to an institution that has faced sustained pressure from overcrowding.

At the centre of the development will be a four-storey extension to Block D. The new building will contain 143 cells and will be designed to accommodate up to 270 prisoners. It represents the largest construction project undertaken by the Irish Prison Service in several years and forms a central part of the State’s wider programme to modernise and expand the prison estate.
The expansion is intended to provide safer, more suitable accommodation for people in custody while improving working conditions for prison staff. It is also expected to support rehabilitation services by creating a more modern environment in which education, healthcare and structured prison programmes can be delivered.
Cloverhill is one element of a broader capital plan that aims to provide more than 1,500 additional prison spaces between 2024 and 2031. The programme has been developed in response to rising prisoner numbers, overcrowding and the need to replace or extend ageing facilities.

Since 2024, some 265 spaces have been completed across the prison system. This includes 126 places delivered in 2024, 106 in 2025 and 33 during the first part of 2026. A further 32 spaces are due to be completed before the end of this year, followed by another 70 in 2027.

Other major projects planned under the programme include a substantial extension to Cork Prison on the site of the former prison, a new accommodation block at Wheatfield Prison and an additional block extension at the Midlands Prison. Further capacity is also being developed at Castlerea, Mountjoy, the Dóchas Centre and Limerick Male Prison.

The Government has allocated €67.9 million in capital funding to the Irish Prison Service for 2026. This forms part of a €528 million investment package covering the period from 2026 to 2030, with €495 million earmarked for prison construction and expansion projects.
The investment also reflects a shift toward long-term capacity planning, rather than relying solely on short-term measures to manage growing pressure throughout the prison system.

Planning work is also due to advance on a new prison at the Thornton site in north County Dublin. A master plan is expected to determine how the site will be shared by the Irish Prison Service, International Protection Accommodation Services and An Garda Síochána. Construction work at Thornton is currently planned to begin in 2030.

The Cloverhill contract marks a significant step in the prison building programme. With construction now moving forward, the project is expected to deliver badly needed capacity and help reshape the prison estate for the demands of the coming decade.