Big freeze causes disruptions for weekend Christmas shoppers in Thurles
Thurles-Templemore Municipal District councillors have called for salt to be provided to local businesses following Saturday’s weather.
Cllr Jim Ryan raised the issue of Saturday’s freeze during the engineer update.
He said the footpaths in Thurles were ‘like ice rinks’ and said shopping on the streets was affected on what should have been a very busy time of the year.
He said businesses had expressed a willingness to treat their own paths in the event the council did not.
He asked that shops be given salt to treat the path outside their businesses in future.
Cllr Seamus Hanafin supported Cllr Ryan, saying the footpaths and car parks were ‘lethal’ on Saturday.
He said the Slievenamon road car park could not be used at all.
A spokesperson for Tipperary County Council said Saturday was “ a unique event.”
He said the council had treated the footpaths, but the rain had washed it away.
He acknowledged that it was a busy shopping day but could not approve the distribution of salt.
“I’m not taking it upon myself to be the only district to hand out salt,” said the spokesperson.
He said it was not a “silver bullet.”
However, Cllr Hanafin rejected the spokesperson's response saying it had been done in the past and while it was not a perfect solution, it would help.
Cllr Shane Lee said a ‘common sense approach’ would be to enlist farmers who have the machinery to assist.
Cathaoirleach Peggy Ryan said the salting programme needed to be reviewed as it was likely to be a regular issue.
“We have to acknowledge with the climate crisis, what happened on Saturday will happen again and may be an annual thing,” said Cllr Ryan.
Cllr Noel Coonan also called for a review of the programme.
He queried if the public could be held liable for salting paths and roads in the event it caused an accident.
The spokesperson for Tipperary County Council said he would need to get further information to provide an answer.
'Scandalous’
Also at this week's sitting, Cllr Jim Ryan condemned the shutting off of electricity to parts of Thurles last week.
The Thurles councillor said the electricity was switched off by the ESB while broadband upgrade works were being carried out.
He said he received complaints from a resident who required a nebuliser and heating and was without both.
“This is a scandalous situation at the coldest time of the year,
“As far as I’m concerned, the turning off of heating n minus seven temperatures is a disgrace,” said Cllr Ryan.
Cllr Ryan raised the issue during the discussion on the Community and Economic Development report.
A spokesperson for the department said she would query the incident with the broadband officer.