Liberty Square(Ulster Bank)Carpark, Thurles Closes.
Tipperary County Council have announced that planned works to the Liberty Square (Ulster Bank) carpark in Thurles, will commence on tomorrow Monday 21st February 2022.
The carpark will remain closed from tomorrow, Monday February 21st until Saturday 26th February. According to Mr Thomas Duffy, (Executive District Engineer), once the work is completed, there will be approximately 54 parking spaces available in the car park, including spaces for ‘Age Friendly’ parking and ‘Autism Friendly’spaces.
Thurles Municipal District officials wishes to acknowledge the disruption these works will cause to businesses in the town. However, in order to minimise disruption, commencement of this work was chosen to coincide with what is a nearby school’s mid-term break.
This represents a substantial investment by tax payers, towards local infrastructure, thus allowing Tipperary Co. Council to glean even more money to waste.
Kickham Street, Thurles this afternoon Feb 20th 2022 @ 3.00pm
Note above, the car parked in 10 centimetres of stagnant water, with the surrounding images, further evidence of Thurles Municipal District Council’s inability to administrate the clearing of drains, identified and reported to the afore mentioned Mr Thomas Duffy, (Executive District Engineer) on July 26th 2021.
But then car parks generate more Council revenue, than pedestrians, businesses and private homes.
In a communication from Ms Sharan Scully District Administrator stating that, quote : – “Mr Tomas Duffy, District Engineer inspected the location on Kickham Street, outside your property on the 8th February. Mr Duffy reported that the water ponding is directly due to reinstatement works associated with water main works, carried out by Irish Water recently. The complaint was referred to Irish Water in order to rectify this matter. Mr Duffy then followed up the report directly with the Water Services in Tipperary County Council and impressed on them the urgency to have this work rectified”.
Regrettably, no one in Irish Water paid any attention to Mr Duffy and repairs have failed to materialise, with water flowing from Willowmere Drive, west into Kickham Street, using the road surface as a drain.
See picture section, featured above at centre bottom, shows Irish Water’s handiwork on Kickham Street, with one of their manholes loose and sinking into the road surface.
National Driving Licence Service “blackguarding” the elderly, says McNamara
Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughten has confirmed that the temporary Covid downgrading of all National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) offices across the State, including the Tipperary offices in Clonmel and Nenagh, has now been made permanent.
“The walk-in service previously available was originally discontinued to ensure social distancing and compliance with occupational and public health requirements,” she told Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara in the Dáil this evening (Thursday), continuing: “the current NDLS contract, which was put in place with the front office service provider in 2021, no longer offers a walk-in service.”
She outlined that an online service is available for all application types but stated that a “verified MyGovlD account, which requires a public services card (PSC), is needed” to avail of the online service. “This is despite a Data Protection Commission investigation into the legality of the Public Services Card which found that there was no lawful basis for a person to be told they needed the card for anything other than accessing social welfare or benefits,” Deputy McNamara explained.
In the Dáil this evening, Deputy McNamara raised the issue of difficulties encountered by his constituents in availing of the NDLS service in Ennis and explained to the Minister that not everybody was able to go online. He pointed out that government TDs were rightly critical of banks moving their services online because of the effect it had on various sectors, especially the elderly, and here was a government agency doing exactly the same thing.
He told the Junior Transport Minister that a man of retirement age in his constituency had to get his grandchild to make an online appointment for him, as he could no longer walk into the NDLS Centre. Having completed the forms at the office, he received a form in the post to be signed and he returned same to the NDLS and the form would not be accepted. The man subsequently went to the TD’s office, where he was assisted and the paperwork was emailed.
Another constituent took time out of work to attend his appointment in the NDLS Centre in Ennis and his paperwork was in order – only to discover that the staff would not accept cash from him and he did not have a card. He rang his wife for card details but this would not be accepted as his wife was not present.
McNamara informed the Minister that a woman in her 80’s had told him she spent an hour and a half on the phone trying, in vain, to get an appointment. The TD’s office rang the NDLS and spent 45 minutes waiting, but nobody answered.
Minister Naughten claimed that no ‘show rates’ at the Ennis office in January were 12.3% of all booked appointments and to date in February same were 13.3% and she urged customers to ensure that they attend at their appointed time as, where appointments are not held on time, this affects the service for following appointments.
However, Deputy McNamara said he had received reports from neighbouring businesses of elderly customers leaving the office in distress, as they had been turned away for being a couple of minutes late, but within their 10-minute allotted slot which, he said, might account for the apparently high “no-show” rate.
Minister Naughten confirmed to the Clare TD that an additional staff member was due to commence employment at the centre which, she said, would enable the Ennis office to operate at a two-booth capacity. She also confirmed that she would have the long telephone wait times looked into.
McNamara insisted that the NDLS were “blackguarding the elderly” with the service currently being provided.
Thurles.info is pleased to announce €31.2 million euro for roads across Co. Tipperary, confirmed yesterday by Transport Minister.
One window on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
As I listen to the filthy, scummy water strike the front window of my humble home for hours today; I read the positive, yet imaginary scripts, in the press and social media, attempting to bolster Mr Michael Lowry TD’s position in Government.
Mr Lowry, who rarely can be spotted in our principal chamber, of the Oireachtas, got in first with his press release to local press, (latter who would publish anything), highlighting and welcoming recent funding of €31.2million, allocated for the neglected roads across Co. Tipperary.
Sadly, Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Jackie Cahill’s PR agents were too slow off the mark; only managing to make Mr Cahill’s own social media page; declaring only €32 million.
Mr Cahill, always faster to get in touch, when it comes to announcing that which he had no hand act or part in; thus supporting his efforts to appear powerful; was also like Mr Lowry, very pleased, “to receive confirmation from the Minister for Transport, that Tipperary County Council has been allocated over €31 million in this year’s Regional and Local Roads Programme“. No one told his Press Team about the extra €218,438 received in loose change.
But the joke was in the finer detail of Mr Cahill’s PR social media script,quote; “I am continuing my work as Tipperary’s Government T.D. to ensure that these strategic developments happen (Namely the Thurles Inner Relief Road announced in 2013, planning to wipe out the Great Famine, Double Ditch & the Latteragh Road Realignment Upgrade announced in April 2017), and I will continue to work with colleagues in Government to see these projects progress”. Mr Cahill or Mr Lowry, despite chasing millionaires, did not mention their continuous failure, over past number of years in office, to get funding for that elusive “Thurles Bypass”, plans of which were first put on display for public consultation 13 years ago, on October 1st, 2009.
Neither Mr Lowry and his “Lowry Team” nor Mr Cahill and his “deceptiveimagination”, have the power to fill a couple of potholes on the badly neglected streets of Thurles.
Although both TD’s were contacted; together with all local Municipal District councillors and officials, about the current neglect of Kickham Street, Thurles, all have remained incapable of sending even one simple positive reply or even filling one small road depression.
Two TD’s in Thurles town, yet no announcements by either Mr Jackie Cahill TD or Mr Michael Lowry TD, on Kickham Street upgrade.
Road structure in question is on Thurles MD’s three year roads programme for an upgrade, with work likely to be scheduled next year 2023, or maybe the year after, 2024.
This was the state of Kickham Street Thurles today, February 12th, 2022. See video hereunder. _______________________________
When there’s a funding announcement every TD and Local Councillor rushes to claim that they were part of it, despite having had no hand, act or part in any such acquisitions. TD’s and Local Councillors have absolutely no power in current decision making, and none of them want to take responsibility when unpopular decisions have to be made.
Instead, local elected public representatives choose silence; not wanting to be associated with negativity and obvious failure, in case it should impact on their vote, come next election. Let’s examine recent announcements all claimed by every idle local elected politician and Thurles Municipal District Councillors, regardless of their political affiliations.
€86,200 announced, on 22nd September 2021, for upgrade to Old Baker Street.(Nothing ever happened.)
€3 million announced on 18th September 2020 for a multi-functional tensile weatherproof venue, for Thurles Town Carpark, Cathedral Street Thurles, rooting up what was officially upgraded and opened to great acclaim less than 6 years ago (March 2016). (Nothing has ever happened.)
€75,000, which had been allocated in February 2019, to allow for the construction of a new raised roundabout on Abbey Road, Thurles, at the junction of the entrances to Lidl Supermarket and the Kennedy Park housing estate.(Work eventually got underway in September 2021.) See Link Here
Cost not known for second re-alignment upgrade to the junction at Slievenamon Road and Clongower Road in just a 2 years period, caused by engineering errors.
Cost not known for Parnell Carpark upgrade, announced on January 12th, 2022, due we were then told to get under way in the coming weeks.
Cost not known for Liberty Square (Ulster Bank) Car Park, announced on January 19th 2022, and promised to start on next weekend.
Kickham Street roadworks upgrade, now placed on Thurles Municipal District’s three year roads programme.
Several times each week, at least, Mr Jackie Cahill TD and Mr Michael Lowry TD, travel this busiest road into and out of Thurles, namely Kickham Street(as indeed do our elected councillors). It is fair to assume they are continuing locally to chase elusive millionaires, since they rarely can be viewed, sitting in boring old Dáil Éireann.
On the 16th January 2022, we wrote to Ms Sharon Scully, Thurles Administrator, regarding neglect and waste here in Thurles town. See Link.
We wish to point out that all communications with Ms Scully were sent/forwarded to and received by Mr Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive of Tipperary Co. Council, Telephone (Work): 0818 06 5000joe.macgrath@tipperarycoco.ie. As was expected, noreply was ever received from Mr Joe MacGrath.
We received a ‘slap on the wrist’ contained in Ms Scully’s reply of two days later, which read as follows: “Firstly let me say that the issue of road signage facing in the wrong direction will be addressed. District staff will be asked to rectify this issue over the coming weeks. However, resources can only be dedicated to this task when more urgent works such as housing repairs, burials and roadworks allow.Four weeks later and nothing has been achieved. Ms Scully went on to highlight the good work that has been carried out, by her office, such as works on Liberty Square and the River Suir Walkway, as well as funding that had been secured to redevelop Thurles Market Quarter. No mention of TD’s being involved in these acquisitions by Ms Scully, despite TD’s claims.
Then came the verbal ‘slap’, “When we highlight only the negatives, in a public forum, it misleads people as to all the town has to offer and paints the town of Thurles in a light that I’m sure neither you nor me want.“
We have often been “Slapped on the Wrist” before. Ms Scully, Local Newspapers, Radio and Thurles.Info continuously discuss Drugs, Crime within the Thurles area. Should we stop, in the interests of “not painting the town of Thurles in a poor light”? Yes, we at Thurles.Info are the only people who refuse to publish the “positive spin” from the MDC’s offices. From last year, we refuse to accept weekly press releases from local TD’s; contents of which can be clearly characterized as occurring only in fiction from those on vast salaries and wishing to remain on them courtesy of their electorate..
Well as everyone in this town will be aware, I most certainly do not want to denigrate Thurles. However, one word stands out in Ms Scully’s reply; note the single word “roadworks”.
“TII’s purpose is to provide sustainable transport infrastructure and services, delivering a better quality of life, supporting economic growth and respecting the environment.” – According to TII’s own Website.
Early last year 2021, we logged a serious issue with Tipperary County Council Service Desk [reference number T-151500-F3F10761 065000]. The problem raised questions about the ability and failings of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), regarding work on Kickham Street, Thurles. Mr Thomas Duffy, (Senior Executive Engineer), contacted me by phone, following my complaint. I was led to believe that action to correct the roadworks would be undertaken, thus protecting the houses and homes on Kickham Street, Thurles.
On 8th March 2021, almost one year ago, local radio and local newspapers announced, (quoting from one source):- “The first area to be tackled is the N75 at Kickham Street which will continue until next Thursday. District Administrator Sharon Scully says this will result in a road closure. Traffic leaving the Square – so outbound traffic – will be diverted up Mitchell Street. We will keep a two-way traffic flow on Mitchell Street but that will mean there will be parking restrictions. So the diversion will be up Mitchell Street – up as far as the Mace shop – and then you’ll be brought back over onto Kickham Street. Inbound traffic then will be diverted at the nursing home at the Mill Road junction – along the Mill Road and back onto Slievenamon Road.”
Transport Infrastructure Irl., employees worked Monday & Tuesday, a half day on Wednesday and then left the area, but not after their road sweeper had removed/sucked-up all the tarmac/asphalt from the holes they had patched. A depression outside my own home was never included in their repairs. Mr Duffy was sent pictures of TII’s handywork via Tipp, Co. Co. customer service.
On January 19th 2022, almost one year later from my initial Customer Relationship Management raised issue; I again communicated with Ms Scully, stating:- “As your office is aware Kickham Street is now the busiest and the most dangerous road in Thurles, and all I requested from your Mr Thomas Duffy (Senior Executive Engineer) was to fill one depression outside my home to stop water being splashed, damaging the front wall of my home. (See Video). I asked that asphalt be used and not cold tarmac, to avoid gravel also being fired at my front window. Evidence was provided – Nothing was done. See link and date HERE and also HERE.
The reply, by return, from Ms Scully stated:- “I have followed up with the District Engineer in relation to the CRM you have quoted below. He has confirmed that the road in question is on Thurles MD’s three year roads programme for an upgrade, with work likely to be scheduled next year. The District Engineer confirmed that any drainage issues and chambers will be addressed during those works”.
Despite my badly stinging wrist; Ms Scully added:- “My email to you of the 18th January was in no means meant as a criticism of you. I apologise if you saw it as such.” This was followed by what I interpret as some sort of humour from Ms Scully;- “I think it is very important that any town has strong community engagement where issues that are of importance can be highlighted and discussed. However, when this is done in a public forum it can paint the town in a negative light, particularly when the positives are not also highlighted.”ViewHere.
With regard to “strong community engagement”; what was the individual costs of both re-alignment upgrades to the junction at Slievenamon Road and Clongower Road last year, including the cost of added new traffic lights?
According to Ms Scully, it took Mr Thomas Duffy (Senior Executive Engineer)7 days to examine the depression housing a reservoir of filthy, leaf filled water, outside my home; same transferred by speeding traffic every 5 seconds onto the window, door and wall of my home. He never got around to clearing the drains reported to his office, last July, 2021, still on view today.
On February 10th, 2022, just before planned litigation was due to be put into operation, Ms Scully informs us that:- “Further to your email below dated the 9th February, I can confirm that we are continuing to follow up with Irish Water to ensure that work is carried out to rectify reinstatement works, carried out recently (No Not Recently) outside your property on Kickham Street. As previously stated, Tomas Duffy, District Engineer inspected the location on Kickham Street, outside your property on the 8th February. Mr Duffy reported that the water ponding is directly due to reinstatement works associated with water main works carried out by Irish Water. The complaint was referred to Irish Water in order to rectify the matter. Mr Duffy then followed up the report directly with the Water Services in Tipperary County Council and impressed on them the urgency to have this work rectified.” Now, some 12 months later, Mr Duffy has decided to correct the situation by “passing the buck” to another internal Tipperary Council organisation.
To add to this current ludicrous and humiliating failure, that is Kickham Street, Thurles, today, one year on; last week contractors currently working on the “Widows Homes“; latter also under the direct control of Tipperary Co. Council housing department, have chosen to spread their construction waste, muck and gravel on east Kickham Street.
This main thoroughfare into Thurles, today, looks like an unkempt, waterlogged, farmers laneway, as our video above shows. Pedestrian traffic-safety-islands are filthy and damaged signage from same islands; for several months, now not replaced, yet clearly on display, dumped in the Thurles MDC’s Parnell Street carpark.
These issues raised today are factual, shameful and a disgrace, as Thurles attempts to attract tourism from home and abroad. Why do we continue to pay ‘Property Tax’, when home owners are obliged to purchase traffic cones, in order to protect the fronts of their property, from the failed actions of our Municipal District Council officials?
Thurles Municipal District have now been given a further 7 days with which to repair at least portion of the damage being caused by Kickham Street traffic, to property, before litigation is once again entered into.
The Department Of Transport and all local councillors and local TD’s have been notified in person.
Let’s be honest, come next Local and National elections, the people of Thurles have no one person worthy of their vote. Sad to say, Fianna Fáil, Labour and Fine Gael have no one person fit or capable of representing their particular political party in County Tipperary.
One long overdue project, namely the extremely dangerous junction situated at Bowe’s Corner, (latter connecting Friar Street west, with Abbey Road (west – R660) and Matthew Avenue north, with Butler Avenue/Iona Avenue (south), not forgetting the Colm Yard Lane (west) and Railway Road (west) in Thurles, has been allocated .5 million euro, same to be spent in an effort to make this area safer for both pedestrians and more importantly in this case for motorists, latter often blinded by late evening sun and objects obstructing full clear visibility.
No timeline for this work has yet been determined, however Thurles (west side) can again expect considerable disruption in the area, while this works is being carried out. Hopefully, “Yield” and “Stop” signs will end up facing in the right direction, unlike same presently being neglected in Thurles town over the past 9 months. [SeeHERE.]
“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.”
Following this announcement, some inactive local TD’s and Councillors, from various political persuasions, were quick off the mark; “like the proverbial bat out of Hell”, each claiming responsibility for acquiring this ‘grand chunk’ of funding.
Thurles Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan expressing particular delight stating that since being elected as a member of Thurles Town Council, he had been raising this issue. He further stated that he was thrilled that this .5 million will be spent in the area, thus guaranteeing a safer experience for all pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. “This is very good news for Thurles and I compliment the county council engineers and staff for pursuing the project”, he stated.
To be fair, our records do show that indeed Councillor Jim Ryan was the first to highlight this dangerous junction, and was even responsible with successfully forcing some safety changes in the past, undertaken by the local Council.
Not suprisingly, Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD, Deputy Mr Jackie Cahill quickly grabbed the headlines, according to local press reports, stating he was absolutely delighted to receive confirmation from none other than his colleagues in Government, that the Bowe’s Corner Junction Improvement Scheme had been allocated .5 million for major improvements, all courtesy of his imaginary imput. He failed however to name his colleague in Government who informed him, but reiterated his delight in seeing hishard work paying off. He also was gracious enough to include fellow local Fianna Fáil councillors, namely Mr Seamus Hanafin and Mr Seán Ryan, for working on this and other numerous road and footpath projects in the county.
Independent TD, Deputy Mr Michael Lowry, despite his “Lowry Team” supporters, was last to hear of the success of county council staff, but eventually got around to welcoming the overall allocations, stating that this funding would help make urban centres, throughout the county and the country, more attractive places to live, work, visit and be unemployed. Well one would hope so, surely these financial allocations, paid for by the Irish taxpayer, are not intended to make the county and the country more repugnant or inefficacious.
Perhaps, some of the above councillors or others would be equally as fast, as to put their ‘curser indicator to computer screen’, to answer the following.
* What Thurles taxpayers are anxious to know is when will the other half of the 12 million Euro, Liberty Square project be completed, latter financed by taxpayers and now three years in the offing, to the detriment of traders and consumers? * Will Friar Street, in Thurles town, be completely under siege from both ends, (Westgate & Bowe’s Corner) in 2022 or will it be 2023/24 or even 2025 perhaps? * Will GAA match followers, arriving from the north east and south by rail, now be steered up Abbey Road, through Kennedy Park, to Semple Stadium, thus avoiding Liberty Square altogether?
But sure look, when you are an ineffective councillor or a politician residing in Thurles, you have to be saying something in the press and on social media, in the slim hope that the electorate are stupid enough to vote you back into office, come next elections.
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