South Tipperary T.D. Tom Hayes has called on County Councils across the country to make the take-over of ghost and unfinished housing estates across the country a priority.

There are 620 half-finished estates, also know as ghost estates in the country and 17 in South Tipperary alone. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government are undertaking a review of these estates at present and are making recommendations to local authorities for how to manage these estates. The recommendations are expected in the next month.

“I am calling on the Minister to ensure that County Councils are instructed to fast-track the take-over of these housing estates. A pilot report on the situation in Laois published earlier this week indicated the serious environmental and health issues arising from the unfinished nature of these estates. Over the last few years, I have become aware first-hand of the considerable problems experienced by people living in these estates, especially relating to unfinished sewerage systems, water contamination, unfinished roads, open manholes and illegal dumping, not to mention anti-social behaviour and criminality in vacant houses.

“This problem is replicated across the whole country. It makes these estates dangerous children to play in, a health concern for all living there, and means that people feel abandoned in their estates. The councils were obliged to get a development bond in order to give planning permission. The process for using this bond has proved very slow and cumbersome. To effectively tackle the serious issues in these estates, the Minister needs to instruct the local authorities to take these estates over. [Read more →]

Gormley’s latest crazy plan is unworkable & unenforceable – Hayes

‘Green Party ministers hopelessly out of touch with how real world operates’

South Tipperary T.D. has called on John Gormley to recognise reality and reverse his daft new policy to prevent tradespeople from using commercial vehicles for occasional personal use.

“This is an example, if another example were necessary, of how the Green Party has totally lost touch with the reality of how most people live and do business. John Gormley should take his head out of the sand and realise what kind of policies he is trying to enforce. His plan seems to suggest that Gardaí will be asked to police church car parks, school yards, shopping centres and sports clubs to find commercial vehicles being used outside the workplace – what an example of bureaucratic insanity from the Green Party. Huge numbers of farm families and other small scale businesses and trades people depend on commercial vehicles every day.  Yet very few of these can afford the luxury of a separate car for the occasional personal use.  In practice, the family car is used by one spouse to go to work and the other spouse is left with the jeep or the van.  Any small businessperson or farmer can’t be expected to buy a third family vehicle just for the odd trip to the shop nor can they afford the alternative – which is to pay a motor tax hike of €900.

“Are we effectively saying that plumbers, electricians, gardeners and salespeople need to purchase a second vehicle for all non-work related journeys, hardly realistic and absolutely not good green policy. If enforced, this new approach could have a massive negative impact on tradespeople at a time when they are on the floor anyway, in the depths of recession. [Read more →]

Delays in Signage on NRA Roads is Causing Damage to Local Businesses – Hayes

South Tipperary T.D. Tom Hayes has requested that the NRA work more closely with local authorities in terms of providing signage for various towns on the motorway network.

“The local authorities, Chambers of Commerce, and local enterprise are all losing out on potential business because Irish road-users do not have sufficient signage to direct them to the towns they want to visit and to the services they need to use on our motorway network.

“Over the last eighteen months, with the upgrade of the motorway network in Ireland, Tipperary is one of the most convenient places for drivers to stop to for a break to eat and drink, shop, or simply to visit the incredible tourist sights. However, local authorities are experiencing huge delays in getting the necessary signage for the towns, businesses and heritage sites. The NRA are holding up the whole process, which should not be the case.” [Read more →]

Rural Transport Tax Concession Must be Pursued to Stop Pub Closures in Ireland – Hayes

South Tipperary T.D. Tom Hayes has called on the Minister for Transport to work with the Minister for Finance to introduce a tax concession for pub owners to purchase and operate a taxi service for their patrons, in light of new this week that Tipperary has seen one of the largest number of pub closures in the country. Tipperary had 69 pub closures in the last year and publicans indicate that problems with rural transport are one of the biggest factors in the fall in trade.

“The Minister should examine how transport can be provided at night for older people and others who wish to have one or two drinks, meet neighbours or have a game of cards in their local pub. These people need a safe means of travelling home. Ireland has experienced a rapid cultural change in recent years. People now drink more at home and young people buy vast amounts of imported alcohol to drink at home. This change in culture has not been good. The Government must give serious consideration to finding alternative forms of transport for those in rural areas who wish to visit their local pub,” Tom Hayes said this week in light of record numbers of pubs closing in Tipperary.

“The biggest issue in regard to rural Ireland is the decrease in the number of people going to pubs and this has raised great concern that jobs will be lost. This is a legitimate concern throughout the country. However, having reached a point where people accept that drink-driving is dangerous, we must introduce alternatives which will protect rural areas and help address rural isolation. Some years ago, we were able to have one or two drinks before driving home. This is now illegal, however, and we must abide by the law. ”

“A simple solution would be to provide a tax concession to pub owners who wish to operate a small minibus which would bring seven or eight customers home. Such a measure would change the culture in rural areas. [Read more →]

Council Rates Must be Lowered for to Save Clonmel Business – Hayes

Tom Hayes T.D. has today highlighted the need for central government to compel local authorities to drop commercial rates for 2011, as part of a wide-ranging job creation policy. Speaking on South Tipperary priorities for 2011 ahead of a meeting with Clonmel Chamber, Tom Hayes T.D. has pointed to the huge burden being borne by small business in the form of commercial rates, while these businesses are on the verge of closure.
“Over the last year and a half, small business people in Clonmel and South Tipperary generally are devastated by the rates bills arriving to their business, and many will simply not be able to afford to pay the next rates bill they receive. Small business people have reached the point financially where they are forced to consider if they can afford to continue and the rates bill often answers that question for them – and that answer is that they cannot afford to continue trading,” Tom Hayes said ahead of a meeting with Clonmel Chamber. [Read more →]