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Issued : Tuesday 8 December, 2015
On Friday, 4 December 2015, Minister Alan Kelly launched the Roscrea Community Action Plan on behalf of Tipperary County Council and the Roscrea Community Action Partnership and welcomed the integrated approach, based on the RAPID (Revitalising Areas through Planning, Investment and Development) model of planning and interagency work. This model will be a key tool in implementing key community actions in the plan under the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) for Tipperary. For these reasons, Roscrea has been prioritised in the County Tipperary Local Economic and Community Plan as being in need of an interagency focus to develop a broad community based, realistic plan that can meet the needs of its residents and businesses. The plan for Roscrea was developed over the last six months and identifies key actions in the business, social, community and environmental areas. There was widespread consultation with all stakeholders and the community and there will be ongoing commitment to the implementation of the plan from all the key stakeholders. The Minister congratulated Tipperary County Council, who have taken the lead in supporting the development of the Plan and the work of North Tipperary LEADER Partnership (NTLP) which was commissioned by Tipperary County Council to develop the plan, in consultation with all the key agencies, community groups and businesses in Roscrea. The plan builds on a number of guiding principles for effective community planning and implementation including: community participation and local ownership; promotion of strategic planning; co-ordination of provision of State services; building on existing structures; complementing existing initiatives; flexibility; and targeting of “additional” services, investment and facilities.The plan builds on and recognises the fact that Roscrea has some great assets, a strong built heritage, a vibrant natural history, a great ethos of volunteering, a friendly and welcoming community spirit, and a vibrant and active community and voluntary sector. It is a community with a very strong work ethic, a can do approach and one that is, with the appropriate assistance and guidance, ready to help itself. Minister Kelly, in recognising the need for the early delivery of some of the key priorities, identified in the plan, announced that funding was being made available in the coming weeks for:Support for the RAY (Garda Youth Diversion Project) project through additional staffing support in NTLP to provide for family support work and counselling services. A Feasibility Study for an enterprise centre, in recognizing the key role of the Local Authority, the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) and the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), underpinned by the levels of deprivation in the Town, and the need to develop a strong, vibrant, and sustainable enterprise culture Fit out costs for the Community House at Gleann Glas, which is so vital to the community served as a focal point for families and their children and for youth activities, The Minister added that he will be working very closely with Tipperary LCDC to ensure that the LEADER programme will be rolled out across Tipperary in January 2016 and that additional volunteering supports are provided to the County.Ends.
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Issued : Monday 7 December, 2015
. Minister Kelly said “Roscrea is a town that I’ve gotten to know very well during my tenure as Minister and indeed it is a town that I am proud to be associated with. The spirit of volunteerism and the ‘can do’ attitude of the people of Roscrea which has been referred to earlier is something which sets Roscrea apart from other towns. "The Tidy Towns Committee in Roscrea is one of the strongest in the County and their drive and enthusiasm is recognised throughout. It is this drive and determination which has seen Roscrea do so well, time and time again, in the National Tidy Towns awards, and the support and involvement of the community plays a big part in this.“This year, two new categories have been included in Tidy Towns Competition, the Diversity Award, and also the Youth Award. I have seen the work of the Junior Tidy Towns Committee in the Town including the Poetry Trail in the Castle field and I find it really inspiring to see work this group is doing. It is great to see the next generation in Roscrea with the same work ethos and values of the current Tidy Town Committee. “These awards, like the National Tidy Towns awards are an acknowledgement to all the volunteers for their hard work and commitment in making their town a better place. Everyone should have pride in where they come from and the Roscrea Committee surely demonstrates that this is the case. The Enhancement Awards recognise the work done by the volunteers not only in the town centres, but also in the residential areas of the town. Their work improves the quality of life for the most important people in Roscrea, who are not the visitors or the tourists but the residents. Their tireless work makes these estates better places for children to play, more attractive places for the elderly to take a stroll and for families to spend some quality time. “I would like to congratulate all of the estates and groups that were nominated, a special well done to all the winners on the day”.
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Issued : Monday 7 December, 2015
Local TD and Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government has welcomed the news that planning permission has been granted to upgrade facilities at An Post's Sorting Office in Roscrea.Minister Kelly said "This is very welcome news. Tipperary County Council have approved plans for the project. The company has appointed a contractor, and work is expected to start in January. "This along with the news that FRS in Roscrea are looking to recruit 200 seasonal farm relief workers. Roles include relief farming, dairy and general farm work. Both these announcements are good news for the town of Roscrea.
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Issued : Friday 4 December, 2015
Minister Alan Kelly TD has announced that St. Ailbhe's school in Tipperary Town has been allocated funding for a two classroom ASD unit and the CBS Thurles for external environment emergency works.Minister Kelly said "This is good news for both schools. The announcement comes after I announced major projects for Sn Mhuire na Trocaire, Cahir, Gaelscoil Chluain Meala, Baile Gaelach, Gaelscoil Charraig Na Siuire, the amalgamation of St Colmcille's NS & St Joseph's NS, Templemore and Colaiste Phobail Ros Cré. This investment in education in Tipperary shows the Labour Party's commitment to education in the county. Ends
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Issued : Monday 30 November, 2015
Local TD Alan Kelly and Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government has welcomed the news that 600 new Gardaí will be recruited in 2015. Minister Kelly said "A recruitment campaign to recruit 600 Gardai in 2016 has been opened by the Minister for Justice. The recruits will enter the Garda College in Templemore from mid- 2016. This will bring to a total number of recruits since the embargo was removed to 1,150. "The existing recruitment campaign (commenced in 2013) is ongoing and successful candidates will continue to be called from that campaign in the New Year. It is expected that successful candidates from the 2016 campaign will enter the Garda College from mid-2016. The lifting of the recruitment ban, and continuous recruitment of Gardaí recruits, as well as the recent announcement of the allocation of €5.3 million for a further 260 additional Garda Vehicles is proof that the Government is determined to ensure that the Gardaí have all the necessary tools at their disposal to tackle the scourge of highly-mobile criminal gangs and to disrupt crime, particularly burglaries, across both rural and urban communities.
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Issued : Friday 31 July, 2015
Having been in touch with the CEO of the Courts Service, I'm delighted that the Courts Senior Management Team have agreed to the implementation of the key recommendations within the Report on the Review of Court Services in Co. Tipperary. The key recommendations are;The authorisation by the Courts Service of the transaction of Circuit Court criminal, civil and family law business from a revamped Nenagh officeThe appointment of an office manager in Clonmel as the manager of all Circuit and District Court operations and staff in county TipperaryThe provision of sufficient staff resources to the revamped office in Nenagh to enable it deliver its additional responsibilitiesThe restoration of the service in the District Probate Registry in ClonmelThe revision of scheduled sitting days allocated to District No. 8 so as to provide an additional day per month in Thurles for both Criminal and Family Law business.The refurbishment of Nenagh Court House to enable it to house a revamped court office within itThe transfer of the management of the business of Carrick Distric Court from Waterford Court Offce to Clonmel Court OfficeThe transfer of certain D.E.D.s from the District Court area of Thurles to the District Court area of TipperaryThe transfer of certain D.E.D.s from the District Court area of Carrick on Suir to the District Court area of Waterford andA review of the courthouse venues in Co. Tipperary to be conducted in the context of a remodeled organisational structure two years after implementation of this reportMinister Kelly said "I'm very confident that resources will be made, this is very welcome news for the court services in county Tipperary".
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Issued : Friday 31 July, 2015
Minister Alan Kelly has today, July 31st, welcomed the news that up to 300 jobs will be created in Cashel.World-leading pharmaceutical company, Amneal, have today announced the creation of between 250-300 jobs. The company have purchased the old Cordis Site in Cashel which has been vacant since 2011. The news follows confirmation of the sale of the site by Solidus.Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly said: “Having met with Solidus on several occasions and assisted in the completion of the sale, I am delighted that this day has come. Tipperary has a huge deal to offer multinational companies like Amneal and I look forward to assisting them as they set up their Cashel site. Access to talent and good infrastructure are vital for investments of this size – Amneal will find both here in Tipperary.“The news will be a great boost to the county and the Cashel in general which will see the site dedicated to R&D and production of metered dose and dry powder inhalers (MDIs and DPIs) as well as biosimilars – all high-end specialty medications. In other words, world-class products being made and produced in the county.“I look forward to working with Amneal to protect local jobs and to ensure that Cashel and surround areas will benefit economically from this investment,”
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Issued : Friday 31 July, 2015
Local TD and Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government has welcomed news that 88 childcare facilities in Tipperary have been awarded grants today as part of a €7m scheme for early years services. Facilities in the local area which benefit from the fund include: Ladybird's Playschool & Childminding Service in Nenagh, Laethanta Sona Montessori Pre-School in Roscrea, The Old School House, Pouldine and Tumbletots Playschool in Clerihan, Clonmel. The scheme covers large scale capital funding, essential medium-scale maintenance, and the upgrading of ICT equipment. “These grants will help facilities keep up with the demands of a busy modern childcare service,” said Minister Kelly. The news comes as Labour launched their new ‘Let’s Talk About Childcare’ campaign this week. The nationwide grassroots campaign is targeting parents who use childcare resources and wants to know their views on how it can be made more affordable. Parents are being encouraged to fill out a short online survey on labour.ie/childcare. The results of the survey will feed into the party’s election manifesto process. A working group has also been set up within the Labour Parliamentary Party to help examine the issues surrounding childcare, while other elements of the campaign include public meetings, online videos and local literature. Speaking about the campaign, Minister Kelly said: “We want to hear from parents about their childcare arrangements, what works and what doesn’t and more importantly how things could be made easier for parents across Ireland.“There is no one-size fits all solution to the issue of childcare. It is clear however that we need to ensure that our children are provided with the best quality childcare and our campaign is a sincere attempt to achieve in a way that enables parents to have a real input.“In view of this, I’d strongly urge parents in Tipperary to participate in our simple questionnaire."
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Issued : Friday 24 July, 2015
Environment Minister, Alan Kelly, has today, welcomed the completion of a €50 million development by ABP Food Group at its Cahir facility. The redevelopment includes an extension and upgrade of the food processing facilities along with a new gel bone production plan at its by-products site. It is estimated the redevelopment will be worth €1 billion to the local economy over the next five years. Minister Kelly said: This announcement is fantastic news for everyone in the Tipperary area. This significant investment is very much welcome and is a strong vote of confidence in both the region and the people of Tipperary. ABP Food Group has been in Cahir for over 40 years and with over 600 people employed it has always been a big employer in the area. I would like to congratulate the company on this investment and I look forward to their continued presence and growth in both Cahir and Nenagh.Ends
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Issued : Thursday 23 July, 2015
Tipperary County Council is set for another housing boost following a further allocation by Environment Minister, Alan Kelly. Minister Kelly has allocated €3.6million to Tipperary for the acquisition and purchase of homes for people with specific housing needs – the elderly, disabled persons and homeless persons. The news is on top of the €57 million already announced by Minister Kelly last April for Tipperary County Council. This new funding now brings the total housing spend in Tipperary to 2017 to over €60 million. The new funding will see 27 new housing units put in place in Tipperary. Seven of these will be acquired this year by voluntary housing bodies, Focus, Simon and Camphill Communities. A further three construction projects will be kick-started. Nine housing units will be built by Cluid Housing Association on the Glenconnor Road, Clonmel which will be additional to the 20 already started by Tipperary County Council. A further seven will be built in Castle Street, Ballinagranna and the Strand in Carrick-on-Suir, while another four units will be built in Fethard.“This brings the social housing spend in Tipperary to over €60 million for the next three years and the construction will create an estimated 28 jobs.” “But overall these housing units will have an impact on people with specific needs, elderly people, and disabled persons and possibly people experiencing homelessness. We are putting more funding into Tipperary for housing than ever before and this will have an impact on the housing waiting lists locally,”EndsTipp Co. Council OverallTipperary County CouncilNumber of units: 27€3,637,000Tipperary AcquisitionsFocus Ireland Housing Association4€334,036Simon2€170,000Camphill Communities of Ireland1€105,000Tipperary Construction ProjectsCluid Housing AssociationGlenconnor Road, Clonmel9€1,472,000Camphill Communities of IrelandThe Strand/Castle St./Ballinagranna, Carrick on Suir7€1,091,000Belmont Park Housing Association LtdFethard4€465,000
