Part 8 Phase 2 Liberty Square Public Realm Scheme.
Pursuant to the requirements of Part 8, Planning & Development Regulations 2001, as amended, Tipperary County Council hereby gives notice of their intention to carry out the following development:
Description: Phase 2 Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, Public Realm Scheme, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Liberty Square:
Widening of footpaths to provide an enhanced pedestrian environment and new high-quality paving
Raised uncontrolled pedestrian crossings across the junctions of Liberty Square and O’Donovan Rossa St, Friar St and Parnell St.
Controlled pedestrian crossings connecting the central parking island to the north and south side of Liberty Square.
Re-location of 12no. parking bays from the central island carpark located in Liberty Square and regularisation of parking around the perimeter to include a disabled parking bay and formalised bus stop.
Friar Street:
Minor alterations to include strategic buildouts and planting to provide an enhanced streetscape and compliance with DMURS.
Provision of high-quality paving to footpaths extending to Croke St junction from Liberty Square.
Parnell Street:
Provision of high-quality paving to footpaths extending to Hickeys Lane from Liberty Square.
Provision of raised table at the junction of Parnell St., Cuchulainn Road and Castle Av. including safe pedestrian crossing points, tightening of junction to prohibit right turning of HGV traffic onto Cuchulain Road.
Localised high-quality paving at the junction.
Enhanced NTA Safe Routes to School measures including raised zebra crossing in the vicinity of Scoil Ailbhe.
Cuchulain Road:
Provision to make Cuchulain Road a one-way system for traffic travelling east towards O’Donovan Rossa Street.
Widening of footpaths to provide a safe walking environment.
O’Donovan Rossa St:
Provision of raised table at the junction of Cuchulainn Road, Brittas Rd and O’Donovan Rossa Street including safe pedestrian crossing points.
Localised high-quality paving at the junction and to footpaths extending from Credit Union to Liberty Square.
Realignment of streetscape on existing two-way area (approx. 70m) to provide parking and dedicated provision buses.
Generally:
Resurfacing of carriageway.
Undergrounding of overhead services where possible.
Tree planting, landscaping and SUDS measures throughout the scheme.
The development has been the subject of an Appropriate Assessment screening in accordance with Article 6(3) of the EU Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC) and Article 250(1) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. The Appropriate Assessment screening concluded that the proposed development would not be likely to give rise to significant or indeterminate impacts on any Natura 2000 site.
The proposed development is not of a class set out under Schedule 5 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, and does not require Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Any person may, within 4 weeksfrom the date of this notice, apply to An Bord Pleanála for a screening determination as to whether the development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment.
Plans and particulars of the proposed development, including Appropriate Assessment (AA), will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at: Thurles Municipal District Offices, Castle Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. [E41 KA44], from 9:30am until 4:30pm Monday to Friday from today Wednesday 17th July, 2024 until Friday 16th August, 2024 (excluding bank holidays).
Details of the proposed development are available online at www.tipperarycoco.ie. Details of the proposed development are also available at planning.localgov.ie.
On May 22rd 2024, Tipperary Co. Council announced, through a notice posted here on their website, that the bridge junction, crossing the river Suir, joining Cathedral Street, Emmett St and Liberty Square, [known locally as ‘Barry’s Bridge’ situated on route N75 east out of Thurles, town centre] would close nightly from 7:00pm until 5:00am, for an estimated 8 day period, beginning Monday, June 17th, until Tuesday, June 25th last.
In an email received by Thurles.Info in 2023, from the now retired Tipperary Co. Councils Chief Executive, Mr Joe MacGrath, this resurfacing work had been scheduled for May of 2023, and was already now over one year late.
According to the notice then posted, traffic was initially required to travel along the Mill Road into Littleton village first; then to the Horse & Jockey, before returning to Thurles via the N62; latter a distance of 21.7k (some 13.5 extra miles), instead of using the Archerstown route and onto the N62, close to the rear of Thurles Golf Club.
On June 25th, 2024 Tipperary County Council announced here on their website that they would extend the closure time of this same N75 Thurles Bridge upgrade. Same was to close nightly again, from 19:00hrs (7:00pm) until 05:00hrs (5.00am), from Thursday night, June 27th, 2024 (10 days later) until Friday morning, July 05th 2024 (again 8 days), in order to facilitate this same resurfacing works.
Fact: This work was satisfactorily completed in one night, including the necessary painting of grid lines on the yellow box junction which facilitates Emmett Street.
So it appears that a Computer Administrator, paid by the taxpayer, had been instructed to upload misleading information on two different occasions onto the Tipperary Co. Council website.
But, this is not the worst offence committed.
Tipperary Co. Council Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029.(See section 2.3 of latter link). “Identify sites for large scale native and mixed woodland planting and set targets for planting and maintaining native trees in urban and rural areas, to enhance carbon storage; biodiversity and landscape; air quality, and urban heat island mitigation.“
Prior to this truly one night resurfacing upgrade, signs had been erected, supposedly to accurately direct traffic. Some signs, however were totally misleading to motorists and all these signs broke the rules of basic responsible administration.
Sheet Metal Tech Screws used to attach diversion signs to trees. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Res non Verba (Deeds, not Words),
Note: 3 easy drive, flange, self-drilling, stitching screws, with washers, were used to attach each sign. Same stitching screws are normally used to drill into 4mm metal sheets.
The diversion signs have now been removed, as have the Sheet Metal Tech Screws, but just in the last few days.
Misleading diversion signs on Cathedral Street. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Three of the signs using these Sheet Metal Tech Screws were attached to 3 living trees, (two on the N62 near Thurles Golf Club and a third near ‘The Source’, opposite Thurles Cathedral on Cathedral Street in the town centre.)
The other plastic signs were attached to zinc coated signposts, with same screws which, no doubt, with the coating now removed, will encourage rust.
The ‘Diverted Traffic’ direction sign on the Cathedral Street Roundabout, diverted traffic directly unto Thurles Bridge, where this imaginary 8 nights of work was due to commence. A short distance further on, near ‘The Source’, some 60 metres from the area to be resurfaced, the sign read ‘End Detour’. Most resident motorists remain mystified as to these instructions then being offered.
The waste of taxpayers’ money and major incompetence continues.
The bridge will close nightly from 19:00hrs (7:00pm) until 05:00hrs (5.00am), from Thursday night next, June 27th, 2024 until Friday July 05th 2024 in order to facilitate the resurfacing works, which were first promised in May of 2023.
Alternative routes are identified as follows: Traffic attempting to progress eastward on the N75 towards Two-Mile-Borris will be diverted in Liberty Square central, before turning right, continuing on the N62 for approx. 2.5km, before turning left onto the L-4161 at Turtulla, Cross, (turning left at the T junction above Thurles Golf Club), then left onto the L-4157 Mill Road, to exit at the N75 roundabout east of Kickham Street.
Traffic attempting to progress westward on the N75 will be diverted at the afore mentioned Mill Road roundabout, onto the L-4157 Mill Road for approx. 2km, before turning right onto the L-4161 at Turtulla and turning right again, at the upcoming T- junction onto the N62, remaining on this road before entering unto Liberty Square to continue your onward journey.
This Mill Road is exceptionally narrow and traffic is warned to take great care.
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.
So far this year, (during quarter one of 2024), 80 people have lost their lives on Irish roads, sadly the worst record in a decade.
Over the bank holiday weekend, up until 7:00am this morning [June 3rd], 137 motorists have been arrested for intoxicated driving.
On the M7 near Nenagh, Co Tipperary, An Garda Síochána set up a road safety checkpoint, using number plate recognition technology, as well as their mobility application; targeting vehicles approaching their checkpoint, which saw officers arrested one man on suspicion of committing an offence under the Road Traffic Act. During this check, dozens of motorists were breathalysed to identify those who may have had alcohol or drugs in their system.
Gardaí are currently looking at implementing a system whereby motorists with dash camera footage of road traffic offences, will be able to upload same footage to an online portal system, thus allowing Gardaí to check and possibly use same in road traffic prosecutions.
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