Thurles Municipal District Council is to hold the September meeting on Monday at 10.30am.
The 9 councillors representing East Tipperary from Roscrea to the Horse and Jockey will be asked to sign off on a three-year road expenditure program from 2025 to 2027, and will receive a presentation from the Council’s Biodiversity officer, an update from the Environment section of the Council and also an update from the Local Authorities Water Programme(LAWPRO).
This organisation is to work with all stakeholders to improve the quality of water in Ireland’s rivers, lakes and streams.
The only motion down for discussion is from Independent Councillor Jim Ryan.
The motion is calling on “all the relevant bodies to come together to formulate a future plan for the River Suir in Thurles.”
Cllr Ryan describes the River as completely overgrown with vegetation, with no flow or depth and having a continuous problem of the green algae forming on the surface.
The river is an “eyesore and an embarrassment to the town” according to Councillor Ryan.
In advance of the meeting the council response is that if there is a consensus among the elected members, “Thurles MD proposes to seek agreement from the relevant bodies to come together to discuss a future plan for the River Suir in Thurles.” LAWPRO will also support the development of a plan.
Tipperary County council says “the factors driving excessive vegetation growth, sedimentation and nuisance algae within the catchment will need to be addressed as part of this plan.”
The council position is that “a catchment wide approach to nutrient and river channel management will need to be taken, together with a targeted focus on active management of the river both within and outside the town – to be developed and agreed with the relevant authorities.”
In a statement to Tipp Mid West Radio in September 2022 Tipperary council confirmed “that plans are currently being developed by Tipperary County Council in conjunction with Inland Fisheries, LAWPRO and the OPW River Drainage to carry out maintenance works of the River channel.
The statement also outlined a range of measures to enhance the area down-stream of the bridge crossing in Thurles (approx. 300m overall). This work does not seem to have progressed given the latest council statement.
The situation is compounded by a lack of investment in River Management in Ireland and multiple agencies having some degree of responsibility including Landowners, Tipperary County Council, Uisce Eireann, the Environmental Protection Agency, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Inland Fisheries, LAWPRO and a lack of leadership which could be provided by a dedicated River Trust Group, which have been established on some rivers across Ireland, or an interested Tidy Towns Group.
Community Groups can access significant funding for approved projects from LAWPRO but many people feel such work should be carried out by state agencies rather than by volunteer led groups.
