The Templemore – Thurles Municipal District is one of five regions within the county of Tipperary, all governed by Tipperary Co. Council, with the other 4 being; Clonmel Borough District, Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District, Cashel-Tipperary Municipal District and Nenagh Municipal District.
The Templemore – Thurles Municipal District representatives are made up of 9 councillors, with Thurles District represented by Mr David Doran [Mobile:086 8901599], Mr Seamus Hanafin [Mobile: 087-2614000], Mr John Hogan [Mobile: 086-2314067], Mr Micheál Lowry [Mobile: 087-2897585], Mr Jim Ryan [Mobile: 086-2397376] and Mr Sean Ryan [Mobile: 087-4581455].
Templemore area is represented by Mr Joe Bourke [Mobile: 086-8386376], Mr Eddie Moran [Mobile:086 2484363], and Mr Michael Smith [Mobile: 086-8525634]. (Note all mobile phone numbers are available in the public domain.)
Tipperary County Council Mission Statement:
Tipperary County Council and all the elected public representatives, within this Templemore – Thurles Municipal District, claim to hold fast to certain key words which they claim underpins their values; namely:- ‘Responsiveness’, ‘Fairness, ‘Co-Operation’, ‘Quality’, ‘Accountability’, ‘Leadership’, ‘Competency’, ‘Efficiency’, ‘Communication’, ‘Teamwork’, ‘Partnership’ and finally ‘Collaboration’.
However; since May last of this current year, (2018) one other word must surely be added to their Mission Statement – the noun, ‘Dictatorship’.
Going – Going – Gone — The Unwarranted Removal of a Communities Right-of-Way.
Tipperary County Council under the leadership of Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive), through its Community and Economic Development Section, maintain they continually strive to “provide a place where its people can enjoy a great quality of life”.
The promises of a ‘Quality of life for people’, ‘Fairness’, ‘Co-Operation’, ‘Communication’, ‘Teamwork’, ‘Partnership’ and ‘Collaboration’, simply vanished out the window at 7.30am this morning (Saturday 17th. 2018), for the residents of the Moyne Road/Bellevue housing estates, when a team of builders moved in to hurriedly ‘slap up’ a thick cement block wall, thus removing a right of way, used by residents and others living in the area, who had enjoyed easy access for over the past 40 years.
The local residents had earlier sought funding to improve steps leading up into the estate from this ‘right of way’, but District Director Mr Matt Shortt [Telephone (Work): +353 (0)761 06 5000], (Director of Services, Director of Roads, Transportation and Health and Safety, for Templemore / Thurles Municipal Council.) had other ideas and made a decision to block all future access via this right of way, proving, not for the first time, that our 9 local elected Councillors remain powerless in any decision making process, within this said / same Municipal District.
The justification for this decision by Mr Shortt remains presently clouded. However, we understand that same decision may have something to do with health and safety. Certainly, the line of sight for pedestrians crossing this roadway should have been improved years ago, however a barrier had been installed forcing those on foot to ensure they were given a clear vision of oncoming traffic from the Moyne direction. Indeed, this barrier could have been even further extended and a pedestrian crossing introduced, to solve this issue; thus forcing motorists to be more cautious.
Chairperson of the award winning Moyne Road/Bellevue housing estate now affected, Mr Thomas (Tommy) Barrett and his Estate Committee are extremely annoyed at the Co. Council and Mr Shortt’s decision and the dictatorial manner with which this matter was concluded. Moyne Road/Bellevue housing estate believe that, with further debate, this issue could have been solved /resolved, retaining the right of way for all of its residents. No accidents had happened previously in this area over the past 40 years and while young people from this area, will continue to climb over Mr Shortt’s newest obstruction; elderly estate dwellers must now walk a considerably longer route to get to their once nearby local shops.
A winner of the Thurles Credit Union 2011 ‘Person of the Year Award’ and a Youth Garda Recognition Award for his services to his community in 2016; Mr Barrett and his committee are now seeking legal advice, in an effort to retain this right of way for their residents.
Local Elections:
Meanwhile, Local Elections are being held in May 2019 and the deadline for voter registration is November 25th, 2018. In order to be eligible to vote, your name needs to be added to the Electoral Register, but do remember despite what elected representatives tell you, they themselves have currently no decisive power whatsoever, which begs two questions, “Why should we bother to vote at all?” and “Are Councillors, with no real power to make local decisions, really a waste of money in today’s local communities?” To quote acting Councillor Mr Jim Ryan on Mr Barrett’s facebook page; “Tommy it’s a disgrace. Despite huge objections to this the Council wouldn’t listen. I will continue working with you Tommy and the residents of Moyne Road in trying to get this overturned. There are plenty of other more important things in Thurles the Council should be concerned with, rather than an opening that has never caused any trouble in the past”. [Indeed, the potholes on Slievenamon Road, Thurles, daily dodged by motorists for the past 12 months, certainly bear testament to Mr Ryan’s final remark and Tipperary Co. Council and District Director Mr Shortt’s neglect of our town.]
On the positive side, this new wall will no doubt in the near future, should it remain, become the latest canvas for our local budding untalented graffiti artists.
Perhaps those affected could now make telephone contact with all the above-named local Councillors, in an effort to get this matter sorted, outside of court action, latter most certainly coming down the line.
Perhaps the time has come for a #march4Thurles, before we are further left behind. Remember the launch, the free dinners, and “Tipperary – The Place – The Time”, – God Help Us.
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