The government has, today Monday August 12th, announced increases to fines imposed on carriers who do not comply with their obligations to ensure passengers have appropriate travel documentation.
The Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024, increases the fines on carriers to a maximum of €5,000 from the previous maximum of €3,000. Two orders have now been signed to give effect to these increased fines which will apply to carriers, such as airlines and ferry companies, with effect from August 12th 2024; observed by many as “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted”.
Earlier this year, a review of Ireland’s carrier liability standards was undertaken, as the level of fines had remained unchanged since the commencement of the legislation back in 2003. This review recommended an increase in penalties for carriers who do not take sufficient action to ensure passengers travelling to Ireland have appropriate travel documentation upon embarking.
These increases take account of inflation and bring Ireland into closer alignment with the penalties imposed on carriers across Europe.
It is intended to introduce further measures, including guidelines to assist carriers and consideration of the feasibility of a dynamic fines model, which recognises carriers who strongly enforce documentation requirements, at a later date.
A number of actions have been taken to reduce the number of people arriving without documents and to strengthen the immigration system as a whole. These measures include introducing visa requirements to travel to Ireland, from a number of additional states and the expansion of accelerated processing of International Protection applications.
The government has also provided specific funding for the Garda Airport Liaison Officer programme, and increased resources for the Border Management Unit (BMU) and the International Protection Office.
BMU and Garda National Immigration Bureau carry out doorstop operations at airports to target those who destroy documents in-flight. These are intelligence led operations based on trends observed by immigration officials, who will conduct initial document checks as passengers disembark an aircraft in order to establish a person’s true identity and nationality. Approximately 4,500 ‘doorstop’ operations were carried out in the first half of 2024.
Last year, saw a reduction of one third in the number of persons arriving at Dublin Airport without the correct documentation. The numbers arriving without the correct documentation for 2024 are on-course to approximately be 50% of that in 2022.
In addition, An Garda Síochána have arrested 115 people in the first half of 2024 for arriving without appropriate documentation and a significant number have been convicted.
Our eye in the sky has pictured two attempts to create extra parking spaces in Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, over the past number of days.
Yes, vehicles travelling westward, rushing to exit the centre of Liberty Square, Thurles, have collided with unused chrome bicycle racks/stands.
Local residents report that motorists became anxious to avoid the smell emitted from drains in the area. Sewer gas, causing this current stink, pervades the lower area of Liberty square; when temperature rise over 6°C, and once the wind remains blowing in a north easterly direction; the west end of town remains stench free. Same is possibly a mixture of inorganic gases created by the action of anaerobic bacteria emitted through the towns poorly and recently updated drain system, particularly on the east of the town’s square.
Interesting to note that the first underground sewage and drainage system in Thurles, which then operated stench free, was introduced on 2nd December 1846 in 5 undertakings, as shown hereunder and at a total cost of £1226.00.
To construct 42 perches of sewers from Richd Ryan’s to Derheen, cost £84.
To construct 96 perches of sewers from Danl Dwyer’s to the bridge, cost £192.
To construct 66 perches of sewers from Butler’s Gate to James Maher’s Yard, cost £132.
To construct 9 perches of sewer from the Barracks to the Main Street, cost £185.
To construct 66 perches of covered drain or sewer from the bridge to the turn of the Mall, with a tunnel under the river, and open a drain from the bridge in Thurles to Byrne’s Mill, with a tunnel under Drish River, to carry up the levels for the drains of the town, cost £800.
Hydrogen sulphide (also known as H2S, sewer gas, swamp gas, stink damp, and sour dam is a colourless gas, known for its pungent “rotten egg” odour at low concentrations. It is extremely flammable and highly toxic. It remains a secret as to whether Tipperary Co. Council or our Municipal District Council engineers have undertaken a gas identity safety check, in order to set residents and workers minds at ease. If Hydrogen sulphide is evident, same is rapidly absorbed by the lungs. Since Hydrogen sulphide is slightly heavier than air same may accumulate in enclosed, poorly ventilated, low-lying areas. Prolonged exposure to Hydrogen sulphide, even at relatively low levels, may result in respiratory tract irritation, painful dermatitis and burning eyes.
Note: If you do own a bicycle and you attempt to park same in a Thurles bicycle rack, make sure always to use a centre rack; (the outside racks are really crash bars).
The Thurles Town Car Park, running parallel with Thurles Children’s Playground, Thurles Leisure Centre and Swimming pool, Thurles Library and Thurles Theatre, has now been closed to all motor vehicles.
This new Town Park car park, which was only upgraded and officially opened less than 8 years ago, is now once again to undergo a major upheaval. The new project is expected to make this area unavailable for public use for possibly the next 16 months, at a cost of €3.4 million in Rural Regeneration Funding, with little or no discussion or consultation entered into, with town residents or the local business community.
Sign attached on wooden background using possibly 2.5in cross head wood screws, fixed to a mature tree. Pic: G. Willoughby.
One of the signs indicating the car park closure is again screwed to a mature tree. We learned recently that earlier this year, Tipperary County Council hired a biodiversity officer, with a climate change officer already in place. At last month’s Thurles-Templemore District meeting, the District Engineer Mr Thomas Duffy and District Administrator Ms Sharon Scully said that from next year, there would be a proper biodiversity plan, so obviously no officials within Thurles Municipal District Council are in a position to request the contractor or other individual responsible, to remove the above sign until next year.
New Café.
Thurles Town’s 49 Space Car Park Now Closed. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Thurles Farmers Market, following their July 2nd meeting, have learned that the stone agricultural sheds first erected during the Great Famine years, are to be refurbished and expanded by means of a glazed extension. When completed same is expected to accommodate an 83 seater Café, for which an operator has yet to be located as a tenant. Same café will exist just some 100 metres away from yet another café style restaurant, run by Tipperary Co. Council, which remains closed, after several tenants vacated the space, same unable get a fair return on their initial investment. So we now will have two Café’s existing side by side, erected and paid for by taxpayers, for the financial benefit of Tipperary Co. Council; with both Café’s competing with other similar private rate paying businesses each struggling close-by.
New Market Quarter: This new now planned ‘Market Quarter’ will see a canopy erected over a section of this car park area, which will be modified to allow access to water and electricity at a number of service points, for future market days. The restructured area is expected to lose 16 car parking spaces, to already struggling businesses in the immediate area. The canopy, which will be cream in colour with no branding, cannot come lower than 4m from the ground due to the fact that cars are being parked under the canopy. The council says no trader or customer parking will be allowed under the canopy during Market events.
“The Source” Car Park, closed in 2020 continues to remain closed today (August 8th 2024). Pic: G. Willoughby.
“The Source” Car Park, funded through Rates paid by local business, has remained closed, since March 2020, due to malicious damage; today shows no visible effort being made to provide the much reduced and badly needed parking spaces, removed from Liberty Square, during Phase 1 of its upgrade.
Future layout planned for Friar Street Thurles, as stated on the Liberty Square, Thurles (Phase 2) proposal and prepared for Tipperary County Council by AECOM Ireland Limited.
Planning Map above showing most of Friar Street, Thurles, but excluding the street’s junction with Croke Street (south east side) and the Westgate junction joining the Liberty Square town centre.
4.1.3 Friar Street.
The existing conditions on Friar Street include narrow footpaths (1 – 2.4m) and two-way carriageway for the entire length of the road (carriageway widths ranging from 5 – 8.5m). There are two zebra crossings on this stretch of road. There is 155m of on-street pay and display parking.
Proposed layout for Friar Street.
“The proposed layout along Friar Street involves the construction of three build outs on the southern side of the carriageway. There is proposed planting in these buildouts to add to the streetscape. Two of these build outs are located beside junctions if side roads (?) in order to tighten the turning radius to comply with DMURS*. High end paving is proposed on both sides of the road between Liberty Square and Croke Street. The remainder of the layout on Friar Street is proposed to remain the same.”
*DMURS – Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.
Note the quote above states“if side roads…” same should possibly read “of side roads…”, but then only one “side road” actually exists in the map area shown; same leading south into Croke Gardens car park, before exiting unto Croke Street.
Eight Tipperary Primary Schools, including three from the Thurles area, have been approved for the Hot School Meals Programme.
County:
Official Name:
Address:
Roll Number:
Tipperary.
Scoil Naisiunta Rath Eilte,
Reahealty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary,
18396E.
Tipperary.
Scoil Naisiunta Na Hinse,
Bouladuff, Thurles, Co. Tipperary,
18350D.
Tipperary.
Scoil Naisiunta Cill Chuimin,
Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary,
18285S.
Tipperary.
St Mary’s Parochial National School,
Western Rd, Gortmaloge, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary,
17332T
Tipperary.
Killusty National School,
Killusty North, Killusty, Fethard, Co. Tipperary,
16111V
Tipperary.
Carrig National School,
Ballycommon, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary,
16276H
Tipperary.
Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál,
New Inn, Cashel, Co. Tipperary,
13404V
Tipperary.
Rearcross National School,
Rearcross, Co Tipperary,
12124K
The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education being provided and is observed as an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
The Hot School Meals Programme was first introduced as a small pilot scheme including just 30 schools. The Programme has since grown significantly in recent years, bringing the total number of schools gaining access, to 2,200 with effect from September next 2024.
The Department of Education has, this year, contacted all of the remaining Primary Schools who have not yet joined the Hot School Meals scheme, asking them to submit expressions of interest in commencing the provision of Hot School Meals. The responses will be reviewed with the aim of including more schools subject to available funding in Budget 2025.
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