It was with shock and sadness that RTÉ viewers, here in Co. Tipperary, learned of the death of TV broadcaster Mr Tommie Gorman, who passed away peacefully yesterday, Tuesday, June 25th.
The Sligo native was born in 1956, and educated in Summerhill College, before attending at the College of Journalism, in Rathmines, Dublin. He spent three years working in the Ballina-based Western Journal, before joining RTÉ in 1980 as north-west news correspondent. He continued to work for RTÉ News for some 40 years in a variety of roles including Europe editor, before moving to Belfast, back in 2001, to become the station’s northern editor.
A journalist of outstanding integrity, trusted, and a deeply insightful public service broadcaster and commentator; Mr Gorman had battled a rare form of cancer, (neuroendocrine tumours), first identified by chance in January of 1994. He was aged just 37 at the time of his diagnosis and was working as RTÉ’s Brussels-based Europe correspondent.
Mr Gorman retired from RTÉ in April 2021 and was awarded the title of ‘European of the Year’ that same year for his work on both radio and television reports on EU institutions. The award was presented to him in Dublin by then President of Ireland Mrs Mary McAleese. Earlier, in October 2009 he had been given an honorary master’s degree by NUI Galway.
Mr Gorman is survived by his wife Ceara (Roche) and their two children Moya and Joe.
Ní fheicfimid a leithéid arís. In ár gcroíthe go deo.
Yet one other giant election poster has been located in Thurles town, Co. Tipperary, which should be recognised immediately as being currently in breach of the legislation governing election posters.
The Sinn Féin (better known as ‘The Angry Party’) poster advertises the availability of the now newly elected EU candidate Ms Kathleen Function, formerly Teachta Dála for Carlow–Kilkenny and wife of David Cullinane T.D of “Up the Republic, Up the ‘Ra and Tiocfaidh ár lá” fame, latter phrase understood to support the activities of the Provisional IRA.
The above poster photographed today appears to have broken at least 3 rules: (1). Legislation requires that every notice, bill, poster or similar document, having reference to a referendum or Dáil, Local or European Parliament election or distributed for the purpose of furthering the candidature of any candidate at an election, must have printed on its face the name and address of the printer. The omission of the name and address of the printer is an offence. Where a person is guilty of an offence, such person shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such a fine and such imprisonment. (2). Posters should be erected at a minimum height of 2.3 metres above any area to which pedestrians have access. (3). Any election/referendum posters in place after the stipulated time-frame are deemed to be in breach of the legislation and are subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150. The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)”. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster.
Since this poster shown above also advertises the availability of now failed candidate, Senator Mr Paul Gavan, should the fine now be doubled?
Congratulations to whoever sowed the wildflower seeds on the west side of Liberty Square in Thurles and also opposite Thurles Shopping centre roundabout, which can be found when exiting unto the junction of Pearse Terrace, close to Davis Road.
Wild flowers on Liberty Square. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Meanwhile, hopefully Thurles Municipal District Council Officials have begun to issue invoices to two of our politicians for failing to remove their posters within the required time period, following the local and European elections held on June 7th last (2024). The first and main offender was Aontu’s Ballydehob, Co. Cork based Mr Patrick Murphy who was threatening to “Put Ireland first in Europe”.
Mr Patrick Murphy who failed to be elected as an MEP. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Mr Murphy failed to remove at least 3 of his posters here in Thurles; one on the junction of the Jimmy Doyle Road and the N62 Templemore Road, and two posters on the Nenagh Road, opposite LIT Thurles. According to these posters, we learn from the small print that same were sponsored by Mr Peadar Tóibín, a current reigning TD, who readers will remember resigned from Sinn Féin on November 15th 2018; due to his anti-abortion views, after opposing the party whip on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. So possibly best to send the invoice to him.
Mr Murphy’s poster erectors broke several rules. Posters remain attached to road signs. Same signs where posters are attached are below head height and posters do not meet the minimum height of 2.3 metres above both footpaths,
The second offender was newly elected Fianna Fáil councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan, sister of reigning TD, Mr Jackie Cahill, who up to yesterday, June 23rd 2024, saw her image topping a street lamp pole in the centre of Liberty Square.
Newly elected Fianna Fáil Councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Earlier, before the local election, poster erectors showed little respect for the environment, using a ‘Pozi Driver’, to screw a poster of Ms Cahill Skehan unto a tree on the N62 close to Thurles Golf Club, South of Thurles. The poster was later ripped off, but the three screws sadly remain buried in the unfortunate tree-trunk. Rules regarding election posters state that same should be securely fixed to poles(not trees) using cable ties, to facilitate removal without causing damage. Cable ties should also be removed when the posters are being taken down.
Only today, June 24th, was Ms Cahill Skehan’s poster displayed in Liberty Square removed, so the invoice can still be sent.
The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)“. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster. The four posters identified here should yield €600 to benificiares Thurles Municipal District Council, per the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended by the Electoral (Amendment)(No.2) Act 2009.
“I forgot to ask you Mikey, did you get out to cast your vote on June 7th last”, said I. Mikey Ryan and myself was supping above in the Arch Bar in Liberty Square, when I first broached that most delicate of political questions.
“Indeed and I didn’t”, said Mikey, “sure I come from an era when Halloween used to be the scariest night of the year; now it’s bloody election night. Anyway I don’t believe in re-electing repeat offenders”, he quickly added.
“Politics, you of all people should know,” said Mikey “is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, then misdiagnosing it and later misapplying the wrong remedies, so I want no hand act or part in it; anyway instead of giving local councillors keys to Thurles Town, the electorate would be better off changing the locks.”
“This is a fact”, continued Mikey, “one local councillor, no names-no court martial, went out canvassing in the Rahealty – Moyne area of Thurles three weeks ago.He found my brothers unemployed son, Tommy, out in the field milking their only cow.The councillor approached our Tommy, seeking his vote and just as he was getting started with his promises, my brother called him back into the house. Tommy, said he, get your arse into the house immediately; and who is that fellow you’re talking to? I think he’s a local councillor, said Tommy. ” Well in that case, you’d better bring the cow inside with you, said my brother.”
“You know, I remember distinctively,” said I, “that as a school-going child, telling my father that I wanted to be a local councillor when I grew up. And I remember my father asking was I insane; had I lost my mind or was I simply growing up to become a proper moron? It was because of those required qualifications that I gave up and never bothered since, with that notion”.
“I was driving out to a funeral in Holycross about a month ago”, said Mikey, “when I noticed a sign on the side of the road stating ‘Sinn Féin puppies for sale’. Sure, it must have been two week later I was driving on the same route and viewed the sign as reading ‘Fianna Fáil puppies for sale’. I stopped the car and enquired from the dog seller why the sign said Sinn Féin puppies two weeks ago, but Fianna Fáil puppies now. The sellers answer came without any hesitation: Well, sir, you see they have their eyes open now.”
“Ah sure look” said I, “the reason these people want to put their name forward for election, in the first place, is because their wives want them out of the house.” “Give us the same again there Hayes, when you get a chance”, said I.
We are informed that grounds for a method of appealing against Local Property Tax (LPT), by Irish householders, on the basis of dissatisfaction with local (in this case Tipperary Co. Council) Council services, does not relate to an established set of principles governing an Independent state, according to T.D. and Minister for Finance, Mr. Michael McGrath. We now ask the question “Is this constitutional?”
Residents, having tolerated the state of the road surface, the flooding, etc. over a three year period, our question to the Minister was simple; “How can householders appeal against Local Property Tax (LPT), when their homes/property are being destroyed by the failure at local government to sort out issues.?”
Ms Niamh Kavanagh, (latter private secretary to the Minister for Finance) replied to our query as shown hereunder.
Readers: Do take note of links shown hereunder in Ms Kavanagh’s communication.
Dear Mr. Willoughby,
The Minister for Finance, Mr. Michael McGrath T.D., has asked me to acknowledge receipt of your email of March 14th, concerning your appeal against the payment of your Local Property Tax (LPT) and related complaint about (Tipperary) County Council.
The LPT was introduced in 2013 to provide a stable and sustainable funding base for local authorities and is a significant base-broadening measure. It is collected by Revenue, and the proceeds of LPT are subsequently transferred to the Local Government Fund which comes under the responsibility of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The funds are redistributed to local authorities in accordance with Government policies on funding allocations.
LPT along with other revenue streams is used to fund a broad range of services in the public realm. While this includes road maintenance and cleaning, it also includes fire and emergency services; street lighting; spatial and development planning and other similar services; regulatory and inspection functions and business support services, as well as libraries, parks, and other recreation and cultural public amenities.
The proper functioning of these services is important for the wellbeing of every community and household. The decisions on and implementation of these services are matters for each individual local authority and its councillors.
LPT is payable in respect of all habitable residential properties, and there are no grounds for exemption on the basis of dissatisfaction with local services. However, I note the mention of your personal circumstances in your email. There exists an exemption from LPT for properties purchased, adapted or built for use by incapacitated persons. This exemption may be claimed where a resident of the property is permanently incapacitated to the extent, they cannot maintain themselves by earning an income through work and where their condition dictates the type of property they can live in. Further information on this exemption is available on Revenue’s website: https://www.revenue.ie/en/property/local-property-tax/lpt-exemptions/incapacitated-persons.aspx
Where no exemption is applicable in respect of a property, a property owner may opt to defer or partially defer payment of their LPT, where their income is below certain thresholds. A deferral is not an exemption, and the deferred LPT becomes payable at a later date and carries an interest charge of 3% per annum. Further information on LPT deferrals is available here: https://www.revenue.ie/en/property/local-property-tax/deferral-of-payment/index.aspx.
I hope this information is of assistance. Yours sincerely, Niamh Kavanagh, (Private Secretary to the Minister for Finance).
The reply from Minister McGrath was received on May 30th last, shortly after the road surface had been properly repaired. We thank the Minister for his intervention.
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