Thurles Information

Sinn Féin In Breach Of Legislation Governing Election Posters In Thurles.

Yet one other giant election poster has been located in Thurles town, Co. Tipperary, which should be recognised immediately as being currently in breach of the legislation governing election posters.

The Sinn Féin (better known as ‘The Angry Party’) poster advertises the availability of the now newly elected EU candidate Ms Kathleen Function, formerly Teachta Dála for Carlow–Kilkenny and wife of David Cullinane T.D of “Up the Republic, Up the ‘Ra and Tiocfaidh ár lá” fame, latter phrase understood to support the activities of the Provisional IRA.

The above poster photographed today appears to have broken at least 3 rules:
(1). Legislation requires that every notice, bill, poster or similar document, having reference to a referendum or Dáil, Local or European Parliament election or distributed for the purpose of furthering the candidature of any candidate at an election, must have printed on its face the name and address of the printer. The omission of the name and address of the printer is an offence. Where a person is guilty of an offence, such person shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such a fine and such imprisonment.
(2). Posters should be erected at a minimum height of 2.3 metres above any area to which pedestrians have access.
(3). Any election/referendum posters in place after the stipulated time-frame are deemed to be in breach of the legislation and are subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150. The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)”. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster.

Since this poster shown above also advertises the availability of now failed candidate, Senator Mr Paul Gavan, should the fine now be doubled?

Death Of Retired RTE Commentator Mr Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

The well-known and much loved Gaelic games commentator, Mr Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh (Michael Moriarty), has passed away at the age of 93.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh sadly passed away this morning, while in the care of staff at the Mater Hospital, Dublin.

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh was born in Dún Síon, near Dingle (Daingean Uí Chúis), in Co Kerry in 1930. Educated locally, he grew up on the family farm, before graduating from both Coláiste Íosagáin in Baile Bhúirne (Cork Gaeltacht) and St Patrick’s College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin, as a teacher. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952, from University College Dublin, remaining employed teaching economics, accountancy and Irish, in primary and secondary Christian Brothers schools in Dublin, until the mid-1980s, when he accepted the post of full-time broadcaster with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE).

Following a successful competition, to commentate in the Irish language; his first assignment for RTÉ was to provide an all-Irish commentary on the 1949 Railway Cup Final, held on St Patrick’s Day.

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh married Ms Helena McDowell in 1970 and together they raised eight children; Éamonn, Niamh, Aonghus, Cormac, Neasa, Nuala, Éadaoin and Doireann.

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh later took over as RTÉ Radio 1’s premier radio commentator, following the retirement of fellow broadcaster Mr Míchael O’Hehir in 1985.

His last All-Ireland GAA game as commentator, came in 2010, when he commentated on the All-Ireland final between Cork and Down; retiring from broadcasting in October of that same year.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh had been awarded an honorary doctorate by NUI Galway in 1999 for his lifetime service to broadcasting.
He was awarded the only All Star of 2020, shortly after his 90th birthday.

Ní fheicfimid a leithéid arís. In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Tipperary County Council Extend Closure Of N75 Thurles Bridge.

Decision to close the N75 Thurles bridge (Barry’s Bridge), latter joining Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Tipperary County Council have announced they will extend the closure time of the N75 Thurles Bridge, entering unto Cathedral Street in the town.

The bridge will close nightly from 19:00hrs (7:00pm) until 05:00hrs (5.00am), from Thursday night next, June 27th, 2024 until Friday July 05th 2024 in order to facilitate the resurfacing works, which were first promised in May of 2023.

Alternative routes are identified as follows:
Traffic attempting to progress eastward on the N75 towards Two-Mile-Borris will be diverted in Liberty Square central, before turning right, continuing on the N62 for approx. 2.5km, before turning left onto the L-4161 at Turtulla, Cross, (turning left at the T junction above Thurles Golf Club), then left onto the L-4157 Mill Road, to exit at the N75 roundabout east of Kickham Street.

Traffic attempting to progress westward on the N75 will be diverted at the afore mentioned Mill Road roundabout, onto the L-4157 Mill Road for approx. 2km, before turning right onto the L-4161 at Turtulla and turning right again, at the upcoming T- junction onto the N62, remaining on this road before entering unto Liberty Square to continue your onward journey.

This Mill Road is exceptionally narrow and traffic is warned to take great care.

Radon Still Main Source Of Radiation Exposure For Irish Public.

Radon is still the main source of radiation exposure for the Irish public, say EPA and HIQA.

The ‘Ionising Radiation – National Dose Report’ assessed the radiation exposure received from the air we breathe, medical exposures, our diet and exposure to radiation in our environment.
Over 99% of radiation dose received comes from natural sources of radiation, and medical exposures such as X-rays and CT scans.
Nearly 60% of the dose is due to the radioactive gas Radon.
10 % of the dose comes from medical exposures, mainly from medical imaging.
7% comes from our food and drinking water.
This assessment found that the average dose remains similar to that found a decade ago.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) today published a new assessment of the average radiation doses received by the Irish population. The Ionising Radiation – National Does Report assessed the radiation exposure over the last five years received from the air we breathe, medical exposures, our diet, and exposures to radiation in our environment.

This is an update of a 2014 assessment, and the current assessment found that the average dose remains similar to that found a decade ago. The assessment found that over 99% of the average radiation dose comes from natural sources of radiation, and medical exposures such as X-rays and CT scans. Medical exposure alone can account for just over 10% of a person’s total exposure or dose.

The assessment found:

Nearly 60% of the dose is due to the radioactive gas Radon in indoor air, with over 8% coming from exposure to another radioactive gas, Thoron.
10% of the dose comes from medical exposures, mainly from medical imaging.
9% comes from cosmic radiation, of which 2% is due to exposure received if flying.
7% comes from our food and drinking water.
6% comes from radiation from the ground as gamma radiation.

People in Ireland receive a slightly higher average radiation dose than the European average, mainly due to radon exposure in the home and in the workplace. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, contributes almost 60% of the annual dose. This is of concern as radon is a major cause of lung cancer.

Over 7% of the average annual radiation dose comes from radiation in food and drinking water, the source of which is mainly naturally occurring radiation.

Radioactivity from artificial sources, such as discharges from nuclear facilities abroad, fallout from historic nuclear weapons testing and past nuclear accidents make up less than 1% of overall exposure.

Dr Micheal Lehane, EPA Director said, “Radon is the largest contributor to radiation dose in Ireland. If there is a high radon level in your home, it is exposing you and your family to unnecessary radiation. The good news is that radon is easy to test for and solutions are available to reduce high levels where necessary. When building a house it is critical to seal the base of the building to prevent radon from getting into your house in the first place. For existing houses, we urge people to test for radon, and remediate if necessary, as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas.”

As part of the assessment, HIQA reviewed radiation exposure to patients, finding that the average amount of radiation from medical exposure has decreased. This is in part due to improvements in the overall reduction of exposure to patients and increased access to new and improved medical imaging.

Mr Sean Egan, HIQA’s Director of Healthcare Regulation, said, “It is encouraging to see the decrease in amounts of ionising radiation received from medical exposures over the past 10 years. Since HIQA began regulating ionising radiation facilities in 2019, we have seen increased compliance with the regulations year-on-year. This means that services are considering how best to use equipment to meet the intended diagnostic or treatment goal while keeping exposure of the patient as low as possible, reducing the risk of harm to patients. We will continue to engage with services to ensure that this good practice continues.”

Politicians – Rule Breakers.

Congratulations to whoever sowed the wildflower seeds on the west side of Liberty Square in Thurles and also opposite Thurles Shopping centre roundabout, which can be found when exiting unto the junction of Pearse Terrace, close to Davis Road.

**Wild flowers on Liberty Square**.
*Pic. G. Willoughby*.

Meanwhile, hopefully Thurles Municipal District Council Officials have begun to issue invoices to two of our politicians for failing to remove their posters within the required time period, following the local and European elections held on June 7th last (2024).
The first and main offender was Aontu’s Ballydehob, Co. Cork based Mr Patrick Murphy who was threatening to “Put Ireland first in Europe”.

**Mr Patrick Murphy who failed to be elected as an MEP**.
*Pic. G. Willoughby*.

Mr Murphy failed to remove at least 3 of his posters here in Thurles; one on the junction of the Jimmy Doyle Road and the N62 Templemore Road, and two posters on the Nenagh Road, opposite LIT Thurles.
According to these posters, we learn from the small print that same were sponsored by Mr Peadar Tóibín, a current reigning TD, who readers will remember resigned from Sinn Féin on November 15th 2018; due to his anti-abortion views, after opposing the party whip on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. So possibly best to send the invoice to him.

Mr Murphy’s poster erectors broke several rules. Posters remain attached to road signs. Same signs where posters are attached are below head height and posters do not meet the minimum height of 2.3 metres above both footpaths,

The second offender was newly elected Fianna Fáil councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan, sister of reigning TD, Mr Jackie Cahill, who up to yesterday, June 23rd 2024, saw her image topping a street lamp pole in the centre of Liberty Square.

**Newly elected Fianna Fáil Councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan**.
*Pic. G. Willoughby*.

Earlier, before the local election, poster erectors showed little respect for the environment, using a ‘Pozi Driver’, to screw a poster of Ms Cahill Skehan unto a tree on the N62 close to Thurles Golf Club, South of Thurles. The poster was later ripped off, but the three screws sadly remain buried in the unfortunate tree-trunk.
Rules regarding election posters state that same should be securely fixed to poles (not trees) using cable ties, to facilitate removal without causing damage. Cable ties should also be removed when the posters are being taken down.

Only today, June 24th, was Ms Cahill Skehan’s poster displayed in Liberty Square removed, so the invoice can still be sent.

The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)“. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster.
The four posters identified here should yield €600 to benificiares Thurles Municipal District Council, per the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended by the Electoral (Amendment)(No.2) Act 2009.