Yesterday, January 22nd 2024, the road sweeper unit made several passes up and down on Kickham Street, east of Thurles Town centre, Co. Tipperary. Their purpose for the crew’s occupancy, was not to collect litter or debris relating to ‘Storm Isha’, but rather to suck up loose gravel, generated by the cold tarmacadam that had been brought into play, to fill giant craters just 14 days before.
Street sweeper unit gathering gravel on Kickham St. Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby. Mid-morning January 22nd 2024.
Thankfully, the cold spell experienced over the past two weeks had held this tarmac together, now that the rainy season has arrived, as we have experienced since Saturday last; unprecedented heavy traffic and heavy rain has, as expected, loosened the cold tarmacadam, resulting in the road surface becoming one long gravel driveway. (See image hereunder).
Gravel on Kickham Street, Thurles, before the Road Sweeper Unit arrived; brought to my attention by stones striking the toughened glass on my front window, latter broken by flying surface gravel, sometime previously. Pic: G. Willoughby. Early Morning of January 22nd 2024.
Yesterday’s road sweeping exercise resulted in a two man operation. One driving the sweeper unit, while another employee attempted to keep pace, slightly to the fore, using a leaf blower to drive loose gravel from pavements; slung their by the wheels of vehicles and aimed at unsuspecting pedestrians.
Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive Tipperary Co. Council), was busy yesterday, rubbing shoulders and having his picture taken with Fianna Fáil’s Minister Mr Darragh O’Brien and Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill (Thurles); all 3 individuals attempting to boost both their images and personal expenses, while officially opening a children’s playground in Newport, Co. Tipperary, which by the way, cost almost €3 million to deliver. They were then later joined in their promotional picture by Mr Michael Lowry TD. (Thurles), who climbed in on the act, at Woodview Close, Nenagh, where Mr Darragh O’Brien officially cut the ‘Munster GAA blue ribbon’, suitably chosen, to open 10 social homes.
Meanwhile, back on Kickham Street, in forgotten Thurles, Co. Tipperary, within 4 hours after the sweeper had sucked up much of the loose gravel and departed, the last remnants of the streets cold tarmacked surface broke loose, leaving behind massive crates. (See image hereunder).
Kickham Street, Thurles yesterday afternoon, after the road sweeper unit had returned to base. Pic: G. Willoughby. Afternoon of January 22nd 2024.
We ask the question again and again, “For what are Thurles residents paying property tax ?” We get absolutely nothing in return, except silence or arrogance from officialdom, same disposed to exaggerate their own worth or self importance; often dished out in an overbearing manner”.
Time has now come to name the Tipperary Municipal District officials responsible.
Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles District Administrator), together with Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive of Tipperary Co. Council) and Mr Marcus O’ Connor, (latter Director of Services Roads and Transportation, Active Travel, Health and Safety) have all been notified. [We have been made aware that Mr Joe MacGrath will be away from his office until Friday next, January 26th, with limited access to his emails. To this end a communication has been forwarded to his secretary Ms Evelyn Harty, since this matter now requires urgent attention.]
Tipperary is marginally below the national average level of affluence, according to the 2022 Pobal HP Deprivation (Poverty) Index.
The Index, which is Ireland’s primary social gradient tool, found a nationwide improvement in measures such as employment and population growth, with levels largely returning to those observed in 2006, however persistent disadvantage remains for many communities.
Since the 2016 general election, County Tipperary has been a parliamentary 5 seater constituency that has elected to Dáil Éireann, 5 TDs, (Teachtaí Dála). In August last, 2023, an Electoral Commission, because of population increase, has recommended that Tipperary revert to a 2 x 3 seater constituency (6 TD’S), representing North and South Tipperary, in the next general election; same expected to take place at the latest in 2025, if not sooner.
Those 5 TD’S elected in the previous 2020 General Election, together with their vote counts are shown in the table hereunder.
The Pobal HP Deprivation Index uses data from Census 2022, analysing ten measures of an area’s levels of disadvantage. These include educational attainment, employment status and the numbers living in individual households. Almost 19,000 small areas, including 640 in Tipperary, (50-200 households) were indexed, leading to the development of a detailed map of the relative affluence and disadvantage.
Ms Anna Shakespeare(CEO of Pobal) has recently stated “The 2022 Pobal HP Deprivation Index is created to inform national policy and ensure that resources can be properly directed to where they are most needed. There has been an overall improvement for the majority of communities in Ireland, however we must also recognise that this is not being experienced equally. At Pobal, we are committed to working on behalf of government to support communities to combat disadvantage. This tool helps to create an understanding of the challenge of disadvantage and where it is prevalent, which is an important step towards achieving social inclusion for all.”
The 2022 Pobal HP Deprivation Index, is available on Pobal Maps HERE, (latter a free online Geographical Information System map viewer), which outlines the deprivation score for various geographic units such as county, constituency, electoral division or small area. Percentage data for the area is provided under a range of categories such as unemployment, educational attainment, and population change. The data can also be extracted for further analysis, through the geoprofiling viewer and compared between the 2022 Index Census and the three previous editions.
The two questions which now must be asked are:-
Why has Tipperary, with 5 Teachtaí Dála, been allowed to fall behind on the Pobal HP Deprivation Index?
Should the Tipperary electorate now change their choice of candidates, when it comes to voting in the 2025 General election?
With temperatures reaching -5° here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary last night; it will come as no surprise to some residents that the lack of insufficient lagging, has led to burst pipes carrying water.
Our Thurles.Info ‘Eye in the Sky‘ launched this morning, has located this same burst pipe problem, underneath the South side of Barry’s Bridge in the town, latter which we understand carries water into the town centre.
Burst Water Pipe Under Barry’s Bridge, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Pic. G. Willoughby
The pipe and its lagging, long a visual eyesore; has remained neglected for some years, left bound by nylon rope, (See Image), having broken lose from its rusted steel ties. This issue will now require immediate and costly attention in the midst of our winter season; since it will require scaffolding, hanging as it does over a flooded River Suir.
We have had no rain over the past 10 days, so it is safe to say this water, found flowing this morning, is from a burst pipe. The pipe break is possibly also helped by the vibrations from the vast volumes of traffic forced to pass over the mid-17th century Barry’s Bridge structure, which services traffic travelling in and out of the Thurles town centre.
Aldi, (Translated “Albrecht Discount”) Kickham St, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, [E41 YP28] Thurleshas ‘Deposit Return Scheme‘ machinery for empty Bottles & Cans, installed in advance of the February 2024 recycle deadline. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Ireland will soon be introducing a Deposit Return Scheme. In February 2024, when you buy a drink in a plastic bottle, aluminium or steel can that features the Re-turn logo, consumers will pay a small deposit in addition to the price of the drink. When you return your empty, undamaged container to any retail outlet, you will get your deposit back in full.
Convenient for Everyone: With return points all across Ireland, returning your Re-turn drinks containers couldn’t be easier. Anywhere that sells drinks with the Re-turn logo, must accept your empty, undamaged containers and refund your deposit in cash or against other purchases
Communities Together: Recycling is one of the most effective actions we can take as individuals and communities to tackle climate change. Working together with a common purpose, we can protect our communities and create a healthy and positive footprint for future generations.
Protecting our Environment: Internationally, Deposit Return Schemes have proven very successful in reducing litter. By placing a monetary value on these drinks containers, there is more incentive for consumers to return them, rather than littering our environment.
Economy Initiative: As a circular economy initiative, the new Deposit Return Scheme aims to move away from the ‘take make and dispose’ culture to one of returning valuable materials, and keeping them in the economy for as long as possible.
General Comment: Pity that only returns bearing the ‘Re-turn logo‘ are being accepted. No incentive for people to pickup empty cans already discarded across our Irish countryside.
Gardaí are advising motorists tonight to exert extreme care while travelling on the roads around Co. Tipperary, as hazardous driving conditions are being reported. Motorists are being asked to please slow down.
Vehicles travelling on the Mill Road, Thurles are particularly being warned to take extreme care as surface water is presently, despite no rain over the past week, continuing to flow out through gateways, unto a large part of the road surface.
Surface water flowing through gateways unto the Mill Road area of Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Pic. G. Willoughby
There has been a failure by Thurles Municipal District engineers over the past 2 years to clear the drains in this area.
Total failure, by Thurles Municipal District engineers, to clear drains despite being notifiedover the past 5 years. Pic. G. Willoughby
Due to promised temperatures of at least -2 tonight; the road surface in this area, is expected to become extremely icy; with schools reopening tomorrow, large volumes of traffic will attempt to use this area in an effort to avoid the town centre, altogether.
What is causing this sudden unprecedented excess surface water on the Mill Road, over the past 2 years has as yet not been identified.
This area is a natural flood-plain for the River Suir. Such natural flood-plains are increasingly being environmentally degraded and devalued. As a result of urbanisation and infrastructural development, natural flooding can result in the land surface becoming impermeable (watertight). Thus, natural drainage of water that once was allowed to pass through the soil and its numerous layers are often undermined by the construction of housing, the erection of pavements and tarmac surfaces, resulting in surface run-off, due to a sudden rapid increase in a river’s natural discharge. It should be noted that some 26 houses were granted planning permission and erected on the Mill Road, in the past 2 years and the contractor was allowed to exit the site, leaving all road drains compacted with muck from heavy machinery used.
Total failure, by Thurles Municipal District engineers, to undertake proper road repairsand surface drainageon Mill Road Thurles. Pic. G. Willoughby
Attempts to have one area of this road repaired, [View Here], on December 7th, 2023, resulted in a few shovels of cold tarmac, now rapidly vanishing, and a number of trenches being dug into the ditch, as shown in picture above.
Why in God’s name, do we continue to pay ‘Property Tax’, ‘Road Tax’ and ‘high salaries’, latter to officials, when we receive such poor response when it comes to maintaining essential services. It is becoming more evident that locally elected Councillors and their officials are no longer in control of Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the service they are supposed to supply.
Some 4 days ago, January 3rd, 2024, [View Here] on Thurles.info we highlighted the shocking state of Kickham Street’s road surface. We are delighted to report that on January 4th (and thankfully before school traffic returns) most of the multitude of potholes were filled. This work is also a very short-term safety measure, nevertheless same is to be welcomed. It is not, however, a long-term solution. Kickham Street’s full and thorough rehabilitation and resurfacing are imperative. This stretch of road accommodates huge volumes of traffic daily. Given the absence of a ring road and the deplorable state of the Mill Road alternative, (narrow driving conditions, potholes and severe flooding), there will be no decrease in traffic on this main route entering the town, that includes Kickham Street. Its maintenance and improvement is, therefore, a necessary priority and plans to initiate improvements should be implemented as soon as possible.
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