The purpose of the community website Thurles.Info, since its conception just over 3 years ago, was to highlight issues which effect our wonderful town of Thurles, its people, its businesses and environs. To record and highlight our magnificent history, our successes and our failures, but most of all to give a voice to our residents on issues which effect their everyday lives. Our success has gone beyond our wildest dreams, with close to half a million readers, world wide, having visited our site over the past 30 months.
Our aim in 2012 is to continue to pursue these aspirations, following in a similar vein and yes your voice does count, so do please comment on issues raised and let your views be aired publicly. Debate will contribute to real and positive change, for the betterment of all, here in Co Tipperary. In the words of Google today, “Geniuses are not always A grade students. We welcome all mavericks.”
What is our “Rant” today? Well most of us have had an opportunity to read our local weekly newspaper the “Tipperary Star,” and in particular, the article by journalist Sinéad Goldsboro, headed “Angry Visitor Lashes Thurles Signage.”
Well in the words of Frederick R. Barnard “One look is worth a thousand words.” These pictures were taken just yesterday and highlight / confirm that local government is just not working.
This signage has been in this totally unacceptable state, since November of last year. Each week our salaried, expenses guzzling Politicians, our Local and County Councillors drive out the Dublin road and around our town, but it would appear not one of them has any influence over the National Roads Authority (NRA).
(1) Sign to our only tourist attraction, St Mary’s Famine Museum, was destroyed by County Council workers, during work on the Cathedral Street Roundabout two years ago, and re-erected as if nothing happened, please replace.
(2) Thurles Shopping Centre is not on the Nenagh Road as is currently directed.
(3) Many signs face blank walls.
(4) Traffic lights are being removed by large vehicles or are bent. Truth is that 80% of all signs are no longer standing perpendicular due to disgraceful planning.
What you have viewed here is just a fraction of our towns neglect.
Message to our Politicians, our Local and County Councillors, Sirs, we have paid our taxes, please now provide the promised services.
On the N75/N62 roads the NRA are obliged I believe to fix the distance road signs, ie, the one outside Knox’s Hall. The rest of them are the responsibility of Thurles Town Council who couldn’t give a crap about them.
Chris you are possibly correct, but currently it is almost impossible to know or find out who is responsible for what. The Dublin Road out of Thurles is the responsibility of County Council, while roads within the centre of Thurles are the responsibility of Town Council.
However the point I make is that according to the Tipperary Star, one Local Councillor is looking for planning permission to build a shed for “two rakes and a shovel,” in a graveyard, latter a listed historical site, while another is blaming scrap metal dealers for removing metal signs, which clearly never existed in the first place. Another is having illusions about a successful pop concert last Summer. See Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScR4caTOo7Q (Sorry about the language.)
Meanwhile the town which these people were elected to represent, is in serious decay because of their petty political wrangling over who should be Mayor. We need to introduce the McCarthy Report recommendations ASAP.
Every Town Councillor should have to do at least 20 hours manual work per week.
Michael, Would this come under the jobs description “Community Service,” doled out in the courts for minor offences.
It would George,but they would be overpaid for this one.
Thurles does need its own Council for the social/educational and economic developments that a county council wouldn’t be able to support locally or implement. Just look at Nenagh for example on the outskirts in the North Tipperary County Council controlled part of the town more money is spent versus the outskirt areas of Thurles which are poorly funded and road maintenance is probably the worst in Munster. Hand control over to the civic offices in Nenagh would be the death sentence of our town. The real problem is the employees like the town clerk and councilors involved in Thurles Town Council that have done nothing for this town. Ever thought about running for a seat George?
Sorry No political inclinations Chris, but next elections we need to recruit some real business people on the Local Town Council. People with vision who are prepared to work for the benifit of all residents.
http://www.tipperarystar.ie/news/business/nenagh_town_council_s_free_parking_initiative_1_3429304 Pity our Clerk and Councilors aren’t like this. I’m putting in a FOI request soon to Thurles TC. I bet the response to my request will be as slow as the progress was for the bypass, which they left in the hands of the North Tipperary Council and didn’t make a squeak when Leo shelved it.