Tipperary Councils Reunification after 180 years
The Tipperary Reorganisation Implementation Group (TRIG) have stated that the reunification of North and South Tipperary into one single local authority area will now save the State more than €6 million.
Tipperary [Map Ref.] is the sixth largest county in Ireland and has a long and distinguished history dating back to the 5th century and beyond.
According to this Implementation Group there will be a 40 per cent reduction in management grades, a 10 per cent payroll saving, and a complete harmonisation of rates and service charges, as a result of the creation of this new single Council Authority.
This new Implementation Plan, which was published today after 180 years of operating as two separate councils, details the necessary steps towards Tipperary’s unification, which will come into being by the next Local Elections expected in 2014. The Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan last year announced details of this restructuring plan following the recommendation of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group announced in 2010.
This new combined Council Authority will serve a population of some 159,000 persons & the combined number of councillors representing the county will be reduced to bring the councillor numbers in line with the membership of similarly populated counties, latter to be determined separately by the Local Government Commission.
Under the new revised structure there will now be just one County Manager, one Head of Finance & five Directors of Services, latter with responsibility for:- (1) roads & health and safety; (2) planning & emergency services; (3) water & environment; (4) housing, community & economic development; (5) corporate services and human resources.
Local authority offices will be retained at both Clonmel and Nenagh which are some 90km, or one and a half hours of travel time apart.
The Head of Finance is expected to be based in Nenagh along with the directors of services for roads, health and safety, and planning and emergency services. All other directors will set up base in Clonmel.
This reunification will cost around €560,000 per year, but overall savings will be in the order of €6.15 million annually.
If you add a metal corrosive acid to old metal pipes you will get corrosion. Many areas in USA had to stop fluoridation because engineers found that the toxic fluoride and contaminants corroded pipes, machines and equipment. The H2SiF6 added under compulsory water fluoridation in Ireland, is not only an unnecessary health risk for people, animals and aquatic life but could be a factor in high leakages in pipes under many Irish cities and towns. EPA water reports show fluoride exceedances every year in some areas, and you won’t know where unless you read them. Hospitals and businesses pay large water rates. Have they checked the levels recently of toxic fluoride, lead and aluminium in their premises yet? Maybe it’s time to do it now.
We don’t need to swallow poison to have good teeth. Europe has stopped water fluoridation for many years now and dental studies show their teeth are better in some countries without water fluoridation. It is time to stop fluoridation now.
Mary Hilary
Fluoridation Free Water Ireland