Thurles Municipal District Officials; Councillors together with other unsuspecting drivers are being asked to take great care when travelling on Upper Kickham Street, (N75), in Thurles, Co. Tipperary tomorrow. Due to recent frosts, a section of the road surface, which had been dug up, has now totally disintegrated leaving huge craters directly opposite Aldi(on North side) and close to the entrance to Monakeeba housing estate(on South side).
State of road surface on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Four living craters now currently exist on both sides of this traffic infested roadway, and have done so for the past two weeks. Despite being invisible to travelling motorists, these craters, as expected, have received absolutely no maintenance attention. But then again, it’s cold and Thurles Municipal District Officials don’t get out all that much in this type of weather.
The only reason I mention this tonight is because Thurles Councillors could be travelling into Thurles as expected tomorrow, to rubber stamp the planned Phase 2 upgrade for Liberty Square etc.
Thurles Town centre traders already having lost at least 40% to 60% of former footfall, under the Phase 1 upgrade, are expected to also be in attendance; to protest against these planned illogical and fallacious changes, same formulated by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and expected to be supported by aforementioned officials and some recently elected, unqualified councillors.
We will be looking at this matter more fully and in greater detail after tomorrows decisive meeting, which will no doubt be demanding immediate resignations.
Tipperary County Council’s Chief Executive, Ms Sinead Carr, [latter who took over from Mr Joe MacGrath, following his retirement from the post at the end of May this year (2024)], has submitted her report in relation to Phase 2 of the long awaited Liberty Square upgrade.
Proposed Liberty Square West Layout (Phase 2).
We understand that all nine of our elected Municipal District Councillors have now received copies of her final deliberations and we further understand that the matter will be considered by same nine councillors at a council meeting on November 18th next (2024).
We understand that a total of 22 submissions were received during the period of public consultation which ended, on August 30th 2024. At least one submission (which is surprisingly included), was forwarded outside the period of public consultation; received on 2/9/2024.
Two submissions were received from one affected family business, sharing Parnell Street with O’Donovan Rossa Street, both bearing the same content. So if honesty was to prevail, only 20 submissions were received. Please read HERE.
Parnell Street (formerly New Street)at the junction (right) withCúchulainn Road (formerly Nicholas Street).
We understand that Tipperary County Council’s Chief Executive Ms Sinead Carr, despite the submissions forwarded by the public and received, is recommending that little or no changes should be made to the original plans initially set out.
Picture Top:Looking West, unto Slievenamon Road, Thurles. Picture Centre:Looking East, unto Emmett Street, Thurles. Picture Bottom:Looking North from rear of Bank of Ireland, facing unto Liberty Square, Thurles.
So, where are those promised extra Thurles car parking spaces that were promised behind Bank Of Ireland, latter facing unto Liberty Square in Thurles?
One is reminded of a remark once used by American showman, businessman (Barnum & Bailey Circus), Mayor (Bridgeport Connecticut), author and anti-slavery Republican politician, Mr Phineas Taylor Barnum. the remark, demonstrates the deep understanding of scepticism, human nature, and the limitations of deceit, including that expended by our local Thurles councillors and politicians. The remark attributed to Mr Barnum states, quote; “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The adage “There’s a sucker born every minute”, is also frequently attributed to the aforementioned Mr Barnum; latter remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes.
Truth was that customers drove into the Bank of Ireland (BOI) car park, parked their vehicles, dealt with their banking business, and then walked out to Liberty Square or back unto Emmett Street, entering into the rear of the multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer Tesco, leaving their car free of street parking charges.
Now, with a new wall backing unto BOI, latter moved further northwards, and a second gap opened from what was known as the Slievenamon Road car park (or Checkpoint Charlie) we have actually, once again, lost at least 6 car parking spaces, hitherto available to the town centre. [I base this assumption, noting that the new gaps created, (one leading east unto Emmett Street and the other leading north unto the rear of Bank of Ireland), will no longer offer parking spaces.]
Quote: “Ireland’s towns and villages are an important resource to protect and nurture. We want to ensure that they remain resilient locations with vibrant inclusive communities and a strong cultural and social fabric that deliver a good quality of life for future generations. We (the government) will support them through a strong commitment to ‘place-making’ so that any town centre environment is one in which people want to live, do business, visit and is ultimately successful”.
Why does ‘The Source’ Car Park remain closed.
A 2024 General Election date is to be announced on Thursday November 7th next. The previous disastrous decisions forced on our town centre businesses, (first begun on August 17th, 2020), now leaves our medieval streetscapes fully choked with HGV’s and other traffic; and will not easily be corrected even when, (if ever), a bypass is eventually constructed.
To those canvassing for votes on our doorsteps, the question which should be on the lips of every Thurles resident and remaining, business owner in our town is; “When will ‘The Source’ car park be open again, in an effort to support town centre businesses?
With just 7 weeks until Christmas, why was this presently closed parking benefit, situated under ‘The Source’ library building, not taken in hand, as a greater parking priority, rather than the opening of a new gap in a partially land locked car park, latter which will now lead to even greater frustration, with motorists forced to emerge onto Barry’s Bridge, from this new Emmett Street gap, to take their chances manoeuvering around a totally ‘castle blind’ corner, unto Cathedral Street.
Two veterinary practises, located at Ikerrin Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and at Canal Road, Johnstown, Co, Kilkenny, are both set to be acquired by the United Kingdom’s veterinary chain, VetPartners. Both these successful practises trade as Spa View Veterinary Clinic.
VetPartners is an indirect subsidiary of VetPartners Limited, a UK-based veterinary services provider, employing over 11,000 employees, on 650 sites across Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. They have diversified, since first being established in 2015; to include an animal veterinary nursing school, an equine nursing school, laboratories, a research dairy, a locum agency and pet crematoriums.
The first stage of the proposed acquisition of the two Spa View Veterinary Clinics, by VetPartners, was notified to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on Wednesday October 16th last. Back in August 2024, VetPartners also notified the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, of their intention to acquire Midleton Veterinary Hospital, Knockgriffin Industrial Park, Co. Cork.
Here in Thurles, Co Tipperary, Spa View Veterinary Clinic, (situated on Ikerrin Road, close to the junction with Kickham Street), first constructed their offices almost 30 years ago, (1995), having already opened their Co. Kilkenny practise five years earlier.
First of 18 domestic, sexual & gender based violence refuges will open today.
The €6.5m facility consists of 12 family units with provision for wraparound services.
It is the first newly-built Domestic, Sexual & Gender Based Violence (DSGBV) refuge to be delivered under the Zero-Tolerance strategy.
Security and privacy for service users are core design principles.
The first new, €6.5 million domestic violence refuge will be opened today in Co. Wexford.
The Capital Assistance Fund and Cuan, funded by the taxpayer, will continue to support this new refuge, which consists of 12 family units. Wexford is the first of 18 such priority locations to complete construction on this new domestic violence refuge.
The facility was developed by Wexford Women’s Refuge in co-operation with Wexford County Council. It is located close to Wexford Rape Crisis Centre, which will ensure the provision of wraparound services for the women and children who are forced to use the refuge.
The building contains a total of 12 family units, including a fully accessible disability unit. It replaces the existing four-unit facility in the town, which is no longer considered fit for purpose. Each unit in the new facility contains a bedroom, kitchen/living area, and bathroom, and can accommodate a family of one mother and her children.
The building was designed and built in line with the Department of Housing’s ‘Project Brief Design Guidelines for Domestic Violence Accommodation’. This document incorporates Safe Ireland’s guidance on DSGBV accommodation design as outlined in its ‘Safe Spaces’ project. Security and privacy for service users are core design principles.
The primary purpose of this new facility is to provide refuge and respite accommodation to domestic, sexual and gender based violence victims and their families. In addition, the facility has been designed as a modern space that can facilitate a range of wraparound and ancillary services, including a therapeutic space, family room, and a common room.
The facility will also serve as a hub to facilitate community and outreach initiatives to support vulnerable families in the community. Wexford Women’s Refuge is a long-time recipient of funding via Tusla and the Department of Justice.
Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency, which was established in January of this year, has taken over the administration of all funding for the refuge.
In March of this year (2024) some 43 organisations were deemed successful for additional funding for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services, following an evaluation process conducted by Tusla, with Tipperary Rape Crisis Centre receiving €32,000.00 of an extra €6.3 million of provided funding.
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