The failure to raise Aluminium Flood Barriers at the junction of Thomond Road and Emmett Street in Thurles, and the unblocking of one drain at the base of Thurles foot bridge, is causing unnecessary flooding here in Thurles.
It should be noted that as water rises on this now flooded Thurles junction, following occasional rain showers, a storm drain, less than 5 meters away, is helping to drain new excess rising flood water, successfully, back into the river.
Anti-flood flaps/valves fitted to Emmett Street road storm drains do not appear to be functioning presently, possibly due to being prevented from closing by a build up of vegetation. This neglect is caused by the Council’s pretence love of biodiversity; latter the excuse for our local Council’s failure to properly maintain our town.
Our eye in the sky captured the above picture at 4:00pm this afternoon November 3rd, showing the true cause of the unnecessary flooding, which has homes across the road using sandbags to block water from entering their homes.
The flood barriers exist, currently shut, as can be seen in the above picture, both at the swinging gates and also across the nearby wheelchair/pram entrance.
Thurles Municipal District are now being asked to monitor and temporarilylift the flood barriers to allow the vast majority of flood water to escape back into the river and to clean the offending blocked drains.
The flooding is seen by residents as an irresponsible act, carried out by Thurles Municipal District Council officials.
New court will be managed by judges with specialist training.
It will provide for greater specialism to enable more efficient management of cases dealing with planning and environmental matters and judicial review in particular.
Dealing with these cases efficiently is critical to State’s delivery of housing and infrastructure and environmental commitments.
The Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee has today received Cabinet approval to establish a dedicated Planning and Environment division of the High Court.
The Programme for Government and Housing for All plan commits to the establishment of a new Planning and Environmental Law Court, managed by judges with specialist training, as well as legislative changes in relation to Judicial Review on planning cases.
Minister McEntee said: “Planning and environmental judicial review cases are a notable feature of Ireland’s planning and statutory consenting processes. The ability to deal with these cases efficiently and effectively is critical to the State’s delivery of housing and infrastructure, and in protecting the environment.
This new court, once in operation, will provide for greater specialism to enable the more efficient management of cases dealing with planning and environmental matters and judicial review in particular.
It is envisaged that the dedicated court will operate in a similar manner to the Commercial Court and that the Court will work in tandem with reforms to planning legislation, to bring about improvements in the ability to process cases and in costs, and to be consistent with Ireland’s obligations under EU environmental law.
My Department is working in partnership with the Courts Service and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advance work to establish the new Court.”
Commenting, Minister of State with Responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Mr Peter Burke TD, said, “The establishment of a dedicated Planning and Environment division of the High Court was a key commitment made in both the Programme for Government and in Housing for All and it will assist in the timely processing of litigation in relation to planning matters. Importantly, this aligns with the ongoing consolidation and review of planning legislation, which is being led by the Attorney General and the Department of Housing, and will be a key enabler in the delivery of our Housing for All Plan.”
In parallel, the Judicial Planning Working Group (JPWG), established by the Department of Justice in April 2021, is due to report later this year. The JPWG was set up in line with commitments in the Programme for Government and Justice Action Plan 2021 to “Establish a working group to consider the number of and type of judges required to ensure the efficient administration of justice over the next five years”. Its recommendations will help inform any future judicial resourcing needs, including for the proposed new Planning and Environmental Law Court.
While primary legislation would be needed to allow for the appointment of additional judges, the actual establishment of the Court can be effected without the need for amending primary legislation. This work is expected be completed as soon as possible.
Junction of Emmett Street & Thomond Road Flooded. Pic. G. Willoughby, October 31st, 2022.
Met Eireann has placed the entire country under a yellow rain warning, with an orange rain warning issued for four counties; Tipperary, Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny in the south of the country.
Met Éireann are forecasting periods of intense rain, which is expected to lead to flooding, with the heightened warning remaining in place until at least 5:00pm, and with the yellow warning remaining in place until midnight tonight.
Emmett Street, Thurles, flooded by River Suir. Pic. G. Willoughby, October 31st, 2022.
Emmett Street and the junction at Thomond Road and Emmett Street, near the Thurles foot bridge, are already showing signs of flooding despite flood barriers being in place. No sandbags appear to be in place.
Two pumps are in place in an effort to offer some solution to the problem, brought about by the total neglect and failure to remove obstructions from the bed of the river Suir.
Motorists are being asked to take great care and if possible, to avoid the area.
Chest Waders required for Thurles ‘Lady’s Well’ river walkway.
“We have a situation here in Thurles where tarmacadam is being put everywhere except in our street surfaces, ever enlarging potholes.”
In late April 2022, Thurles.Info posted their disappointment following the announcement by local Municipal councillors, led by Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin, regarding the destruction of biodiversity on the ‘Our Lady’s Well’ river walk in Thurles.
Following the complaint, there was total disregard shown for Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, by Green Party Minister Mr Malcolm Noonan and his staff at the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 as amended by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Heritage Act 2018 states : – (a)It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy during the period beginning on the 1st day of March and ending on the 31st day of August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land, not then cultivated. (b)It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy any vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch during the period mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
The main purposes of introducing Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, nationally was to protect bird life during the nesting season, to help prevent forest fires, thus protecting vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction.
The Minister and his department had been warned in advance of this intended destruction, but same was allowed to continue without any explanation or reply, to the numerous communications sent to the aforenamed Green Party Minister.
Our Lady’s Well walkway Thurles, today, October 29th, 2022. Pic. George Willoughby.
As the above video above shows, the Suir River bank in this area was lowered, (see video above), before cold tarmacadam was later poured over the area, eradicating the naturally occurring Bluebells, Primroses, Dandelions, Daffodils, Cowslips, Woodland Violets, Cow Parsley, Cuckoo Flower, Buttercups, Yellow Iris, Brassica, all previously evident and enjoyed by the leisurely walker. Three seats/ benches were also removed, each a rest stop for the unhurried visitor and those elderly and unsure of foot.
No proper levels were taken in the lowering of the riverbank walkway; trees and their roots were severely damaged, while the quality of mainstream water, plus the build-up of silt and various uncontrolled obstructions in the main body of the river Suir itself were totally ignored; all courtesy of Tipperary County Council, led by Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath and his ill-informed officialdom.
Picture (above) taken this evening shows the now flooded tarmacadam pathway, with water over 30cm in depth; which is also flooding the land to the south of the area, and all because of a failure to deal with the main body of water that is the River Suir.
A must read for Thurles residents and their businesses.
QUESTION: Were Thurles Councillors & Officials duped yet again at their Monday meeting with Irish Water officials?
Poorly treated sewage continues to harm the quality of our rivers, lakes and coastal waters, says EPA.
Just half (51%) of Ireland’s sewage was treated to the European Union standards set to protect our environment, well below the EU average of 90%.
Works to eliminate raw sewage flowing into seas and rivers from 32 towns and villages have commenced or are due to start by 2024.
Irish Water has no clear plan to improve treatment at 27 priority areas where waste water discharges are impacting on rivers, lakes and coastal waters.
The EPA report on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2021, [Found HERE]and released today, shows that investment in waste water infrastructure is delivering improvements to priority areas identified by the EPA, but treatment at many areas is still not as good as it needs to be.
Emmett Street running parallel with River Suir.
“Irish Water does not have clear plansin place to deal with one-third of the priority areas where waste water is adversely impacting the environment and has not allocated resources in its investment plan to complete improvements at these areas” ~ says EPA
Irish Water must provide for all improvements needed at these areas in its next investment plan, which covers the period 2025-2029.
Launching the report today, Dr Tom Ryan, EPA Director said: “This report shows that targeting investment at the priority areas identified by the EPA is delivering improvements in water quality, and the elimination of raw sewage discharges from Cobh and Castletownbere in Cork are good examples of progress. However, it will take a high level of sustained investment over the next two decades to bring all treatment systems across the country up to the required standard to protect the environment and public health”. Dr. Ryan added: “Irish Water has failed to produce action plans to improve treatment at one-third of the priority areas identified by EPA where waste water is harming our rivers, lakes and coastal waters. It is essential that Irish Water provides clear, site specific action plans and time frames to improve treatment in these areas, and it needs to allocate the necessary resources in its next investment cycle to implement and complete them and to resolve the associated environmental harms”.
Ireland’s largest treatment plant at Ringsend in Dublin is overloaded and fails to consistently treat sewage to the required standards. A major upgrade of the plant began in 2018 and is due to be completed in 2025. Construction work to provide treatment for the 32 areas discharging raw sewage listed in the report is either ongoing or due to start in the next two years. It is essential that Irish Water delivers these projects as soon as possible.
Mr Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager said: “Sixteen years after the final deadline to comply, half of Ireland’s sewage is still not treated to the standards set to protect the environment. It is particularly concerning to see some towns such as Ballymote in Sligo failing in 2021, despite having the necessary treatment infrastructure and meeting the standards in 2020. This highlights the need for improved vigilance and oversight by Irish Water to make sure treatment infrastructure is always operated at its optimum”.
The report also highlights that Irish Water needs to improve its information on the condition and performance of sewers to inform and plan upgrade works necessary to mitigate environmental risks from sewer overflows.
The report is now available on the EPA websiteHERE.
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