The votes of Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Michael Smith and Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, were recounted this morning, starting at 11:00am.
Following the recount Councillor Ryan was found to be justified; being 3 votes ahead of Mr Smith, after a recount had been requested by Councillor Ryan, following Mr Michael Smith being earlier declared just 2 votes ahead of Ryan. There is an electoral provision to do this and the figures will now be amended to reflect Mr Ryans latest count placing him ahead of Mr Smith by just 3 votes. Mr Smith has now conceded, accepting this result.
This decision indicate that the original count has restarted where it was last evening, with Mr Michael Smith’s votes being distributed first in the next count.
Over 30,000 Citizenship decisions made in 2024, the most made in a single year since records began.
More than 6,000 people to be naturalised in Killarney this week.
Digitisation of services have resulted in significantly improved service.
Citizenship ceremonies were first introduced in 2011 in order to mark the occasion of the granting of citizenship in a dignified and solemn manner. Since Citizenship Ceremonies were first introduced, there has been a total of 197 Ceremonies (inclusive) with people from over 180 countries receiving their certificates of naturalisation. To date, over 191,000 people have received Irish citizenship since 2011; 108 of whom are resident in Co. Tipperary.
This year will see a record number of people take the final steps towards receiving their Irish citizenship, with over 30,000 decisions made in 2024. The numbers represent a significant increase on the 20,000 decisions made in 2023, and is nearly double the number of decisions made in 2022.
This Monday and Tuesday alone, over 6,000 new Irish citizens will be granted citizenship in seven ceremonies being held at the INEC Killarney. The Ceremonies will see applicants from 140 countries around the world, and living in 32 counties on the island of Ireland, being conferred as Irish citizens.
The Presiding Officers at the ceremonies over the next two days are retired Justice Mr Paddy McMahon, and retired President of the High Court, Ms Mary Irvine, latter who will confer the attendees with Irish Citizenship. Both will administer the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State. The new Irish citizens will undertake to faithfully observe the laws of the State and to respect its democratic values.
Significant changes have been introduced in the Citizenship Divisionof the Department of Justice to speed up the application process for applicants, including the introduction of an online digital application, online payments, and eVetting. Going forward, it is envisaged that the majority of applications based on residency will receive a decision within 12 months.
It is important to note that no two applications are the same, and some take longer than others to process. Applicants are required to have 5 years reckonable residence in the State prior to making an application. Citizenship Division has held 24 citizenship ceremonies this year, an increase from the 15 ceremonies held last year, and the 6 that were held in 2022.
More information on the application process is available at the following link shown HERE.
This upcoming general election has alerted voters in Thurles of two candidates, both of whom have little or no regard/respect for biodiversity and to a greener future.
Both have used heavy duty self-drilling Tech screws, latter originally designed for drilling into sheet steel. Same were used to attach plastic posters to mature trees that were planted by members of Thurles Tidy Towns, way back in the 1990’s.
One standard size poster was held up using at least 10 Tech screws and which bears the name Mr Ryan O’Meara(Fianna Fáil), who claims he has “Ambition for Thurles’s future”.
No canvassers called to my home, representing Mr O’Meara, so I am not able to relate details of his “dreams” or indeed his “revolutionary aspirations” for Thurles town. His poster can be found at the entrance to Monakeeba, housing estate. Best that Thurles voters forget about Mr O’Meara.
The other standard size poster bears the name of Mr Michael Lowry(Independent TD), who again shows no regard/respect for biodiversity and to promoting a greener future. His poster can be found close to where Thurles people will cast their votes at the Presentation Convent Primary School. His poster is held up by 6 Tech screws on a tree which was also planted by members of Thurles Tidy Towns, again way back in the 1990’s. I did ask the children, who called canvassing on Mr Lowry’s behalf, to have the screws removed, but this message seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
A domestic violence survivor, (who cannot be named publicly, due to court-ordered reporting restrictions), is suing Tipperary County Council over its housing policy. The female claims she was denied social housing after leaving her home and has now been granted leave to bring judicial review proceedings against Tipperary County Council.
The woman was forced to leave her former local authority home, before entered a domestic violence refuge. She now remains homeless, residing in emergency Bed and breakfast accommodation. Having sought social housing under her own name and having explained her situation, the council required her to surrender her joint tenancy, before it would consider her new application for housing supports.
The applicant claims to have complied with Tipperary Co. Councils instructions, but was excluded from consideration for social housing for one year, on the grounds that she had voluntarily surrendered her tenancy. The woman’s legal team argue that the surrender in this case was not voluntary and that the council’s decision now breaches administrative and human rights law, which in turn amounts to an unlawful fettering of its discretion, through the application of an inflexible policy to all victims of domestic violence.
The legal team, representing the woman in the High Court on Tuesday morning last (November 26th, 2024) sought and were granted leave for a judicial review by High Court Justice Mr Garrett Simons, who stated that the applicant appeared to have been placed in a ‘Catch-22’ situation.
The previous five-seater Tipperary constituency has now been re-drawn to form a two x three-seater constituency (Tipperary North and Tipperary South). Thurles Town remains in Tipperary North, so with 3 seats now up for grabs, it does not take a genius to realise and accept that possibly at least one totally new individual will take a seat in Dáil Éireann.
This scenario follows the fact one of two previous Thurles Teachtaí Dála, namely Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Jackie Cahill, some weeks ago, announced that he would not be contesting the 2024 General Election on Friday next, November 29th, due to health concerns.
On November 17th 2024, last a headline on the Nenagh Guardian newspaper [READ FULL ARTICLE HERE], correctly pointed out that “Tipperary is lacking in political clout”.
From a sports point of view this article correctly pointed out that the previous week had seen the third sports capital funding allocation for the year, with €173 million for 35 projects being part of the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund(LSSIF). While a number of Tipperary clubs were successful in appeals over their CSFF allocations, it would appear, as our local politicians slept, that the application pertaining to refurbishment works for Semple’s field (Semple Stadium), lost out to Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, with the Kerry venue getting €6 million for work on its west terrace, to not only improve the spectator experience for matches, but also as an outdoor concert venue. This all happened despite having two resident Thurles TD’s who supported the present outgoing government.
On Friday next Thurles and District electorate, not to mention the Constituency of North Tipperary, as a whole, will get a chance to introduce this new face into Dáil Éireann.
Thurles over the past 10 years, in particular, and even longer, has been allowed to slide into slow disintegration. We have for too long listened to promises, with current politicians announcing funding for an ‘Inner Relief Road’; a‘Business Innovation Centre‘; ‘increased employment‘; a ‘Holycross Museum’; a ‘Ring Road’etc. etc., none of which have ever come to pass, as present incumbent politicians continuously tied themselves to wealthy individuals, latter who used them to seek even more government funding and changes in the law.
With Tipperary North now a three seater constituency and Thurles town on the decline; sound logic would indicate that Thurles now badly needs to elect candidate and present Co.Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, who is currently resident in Thurles town and who will represent, not just Thurles Town, but also the constituency of Tipperary North, if elected to take a seat in our 34th Dáil.
Mr Jim Ryan, to date, has given his adult life to both local and Co. Tipperary politics. He has consistently been elected as a County Councillor in local elections and as his poster states, he is proven; is certainly experienced and is reliable.
Try to forget “Political Party Allegiance” when voting on Friday next. Vote No1 Jim Ryan, before marking your No. 2 choice etc…
We must ask ourselves, as logical Thurles voters, the following question. “What have other candidates currently in the race; including some with absolutely no political experience whatsoever and now seeking our individual, valuable vote, ever achieved for Thurles Town“.
George Willoughby’s No.1 Vote will go to Councillor Jim Ryan on Friday morning next, in an effort to attempt the slow the obvious decline to a town that I love so well.
I ask all voters and lovers of Thurles, to think logically and to support Thurles and North Tipperary, by electing Jim Ryan to the 34th Dáil.
You know it makes sense, otherwise we will have nothingfor the next 5 years; yet again.
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