Thurles Information

“Think Before You Tap” – Bank of Ireland Warns Of Card Payment Scam.

Bank of Ireland is warning customers to stay alert after a rise in cases where people are being significantly overcharged when paying by card in shops, cafés, bars, taxis and other busy venues.

The scam works by verbally quoting one price, while entering a much higher amount on the payment terminal; often when customers are distracted, rushed or under pressure.

Ms Nicola Sadlier, (Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland), said fraudsters are taking advantage of busy environments where people may not double-check the screen, before tapping or entering their PIN.

Key advice from Bank of Ireland:
► Always check the amount on the card terminal before paying
► Don’t rush if you feel pressured during a transaction
► Never hand your card to someone else to complete payment
► Turn on transaction alerts to spot suspicious charges quickly
► Review your statements regularly and report anything unusual immediately
►With summer travel season approaching and more people using contactless payments abroad, the bank says taking a few extra seconds to verify the amount could prevent costly fraud.

“Check the total before you tap.”

Concerns Raised Over New Roadside Memorial Ban & Ongoing Road Sign Issues In Thurles.

A new policy approved in Tipperary will ban roadside memorials in areas where speed limits are 60 kilometres per hour and above. The decision follows updated national road safety guidelines aimed at reducing dangers for motorists, pedestrians, and road maintenance crews.

Under the new rules, future memorials will not be allowed along higher-speed roads due to concerns about driver distraction, roadside parking and pedestrian safety. Existing memorials will remain in place, but any damaged memorials requiring replacement must comply with the updated regulations.

While many understand the importance of improving road safety, the decision has sparked debate among communities who see roadside memorials as important tributes to loved ones lost in tragic accidents. The issue is especially sensitive for grieving families and local residents who feel these memorials serve as lasting reminders for drivers to slow down and take greater care on dangerous roads.

At the same time, many people are questioning whether enough attention is being given to other road safety problems across the county. In Thurles, concerns continue to grow about road signage in several busy areas. A number of directional signs have reportedly become loose, damaged, are pointing in the wrong direction, or in some cases have disappeared altogether.

Areas such as Mill Road, Cathedral Street and Liberty Square in Thurles have been highlighted by residents as locations where signage problems are creating confusion for motorists and visitors alike. Many signs are hidden by hedge growth and some locals believe these practical road safety issues should also be prioritised alongside the introduction of any new policies and restrictions.

Road safety campaigners continue to stress that clearer signage, proper maintenance, safer junctions, and responsible driving all play a major role in preventing accidents and protecting lives on local roads.

As discussions continue, many will be watching closely to see how the new memorial policy is implemented and whether wider road safety concerns throughout Tipperary receive the same level of urgency and attention.

Housing Minister Signals Easing of Rural Planning Rules.

Eviction Ban Ruled Out as Housing Minister Signals Easing of Rural Planning Rules.

Ireland’s rural planning rules are set to be relaxed under new housing guidelines due to be published within weeks, according to Housing Minister Mr James Browne TD. The Minister said the updated guidelines aim to make it easier for people to build homes in rural communities, while also creating greater consistency in planning decisions nationwide.

Speaking during a visit to social housing projects in Donegal, Mr Browne said the Government is committed to reducing restrictions on rural housing development across the country. He added that the new framework would provide a more balanced and predictable approach for rural applicants.

The Minister also rejected renewed opposition calls for an eviction ban, following a sharp rise in eviction notices during the opening months of 2026. Recent figures from the Residential Tenancies Board showed more than 7,000 notices of termination were issued in the first quarter of the year; a rise of roughly 50% compared with the same period in 2025.

Mr Browne argued that previous eviction bans damaged rental supply and insisted the Government’s focus must remain on increasing housing availability. He pointed to signs that termination notices began to decline in March, with expectations of a further drop in April.

The minister said reforms introduced earlier this year are intended to strengthen protections for renters while encouraging more long-term participation in the rental market. Updated RTB figures also showed a modest increase in the number of landlords and registered tenancies nationwide.

Ballypadeen Demolition Decision Highlights Planning Failures In Co. Tipperary.

Tipperary County Council’s decision to approve the demolition of the 52 unfinished houses at Ballypadeen near Cashel has reignited debate about planning, dereliction, and the wider housing crisis. While many people understandably see the structures as potential homes, the reality behind the site is far more complicated.

The partially completed houses have stood idle for almost two decades overlooking the Rock of Cashel after construction stopped in 2007. Originally approved during the Celtic Tiger era, the development was never intended to function as a standard residential estate. Planning permission was granted for tourism accommodation linked to a large hotel and leisure complex that was never built.

According to Tipperary County Council, the site sits on unzoned and unserviced land outside the Cashel settlement boundary, placing it in conflict with current planning policy. Independent engineering and technical assessments commissioned as part of the process concluded that the structures contained significant defects and that restoring them for long-term residential use would not be financially viable.

The council has also confirmed that the demolition forms part of a legally binding mediated settlement between the local authority and the landowner following years of legal disputes connected to the development.

Public frustration is understandable given Ireland’s ongoing housing shortage. Critics, including local representatives and members of the public, have argued that demolishing 52 partially completed houses during a housing crisis appears counterproductive. However, the issue is not simply about unfinished houses being left unused. The core problem is that the development was approved under a tourism model tied to infrastructure and zoning conditions that never materialised.

What is also important to note is that despite the national attention the site has received, the houses are not visible when entering or leaving Cashel itself. The development sits outside the town and is largely hidden from the main approach roads, contrary to some impressions created online and in wider media coverage.

The council says the demolition will help address long-term dereliction and protect the visual setting surrounding the Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most historically important landmarks.

Ultimately, Ballypadeen has become a symbol of wider failures in Irish planning and development during the boom years. The debate now is not only about whether these buildings should remain standing, but how developments like this were ever allowed to reach such a stage without proper long-term oversight, infrastructure, or viable planning foundations in place.

Concern Raised Over Sinn Féin Platforming of Convicted Terrorist’s Son.

**Poster published, by Mary Lou McDonald, *(Sinn Féin)*.**

Serious concern has been expressed following the appearance of Arab Barghouti, son of convicted Palestinian militant leader Marwan Barghouti, at the most recent Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Belfast.

According to reports from the event, Arab Barghouti addressed delegates and supporters to sustained applause during proceedings focused on international solidarity and Middle East issues. Critics have described the reception as deeply inappropriate given the violent history associated with his father.

Marwan Barghouti is currently serving multiple life sentences in Israel after being convicted in 2004 for involvement in attacks that killed five civilians during the Second Intifada. Israeli courts found him guilty on several counts of murder and membership in a terrorist organisation. While some political activists, sadly, continue to portray him as a symbol of Palestinian resistance; while many victims’ families and international observers regard him accurately as directly responsible for acts of terrorism that caused immense civilian suffering.

Opponents of Sinn Féin’s decision to provide a platform for Arab Barghouti argue that inviting representatives connected to individuals convicted of orchestrating deadly attacks risks undermining efforts to promote peace, reconciliation and respect for innocent victims of violence.

“This was not simply a controversial political appearance,” one critic stated. “It amounted to the normalisation and sanitisation of terrorism in front of a large public audience. The victims of these attacks, and their families, deserve better than to see applause for those associated with such unbelievable brutality.”

The controversy has also reignited debate around the responsibilities of political parties when selecting international speakers for major public conferences. Commentators have argued that democratic institutions should remain vigilant against attempts to romanticise or rewrite the legacy of political violence, regardless of where it occurred.

A similar sentiments were widely expressed on Tuesday April 28th last, when Arab Barghouti addressed a public meeting in at a pub in Cross Guns, Dublin 9. The event, promoted online by pro-Palestinian activists and Sinn Féin supporters, focused on solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and support for Marwan Barghouti, the jailed Palestinian political figure and former Fatah leader. Again attendees heard speeches concerning the situation in Gaza, Palestinian prisoners, and international solidarity campaigns. Promotional material referred to Marwan Barghouti as a “jailed Palestinian leader,” while critics again noted that he was convicted by an Israeli court for involvement in attacks that killed civilians during the Second Intifada.

Others have defended the invitation on the grounds of international solidarity with the Palestinian cause, noting that Marwan Barghouti remains a widely recognised political figure among many Palestinians and international campaigners.

Nevertheless, critics maintain that no political grievance can justify the targeting and killing of civilians, and that public representatives should be careful not to blur the distinction between political advocacy and the glorification of violence and hatred.