EXPLAINER: Some of the key issues in Tipperary ahead of General Election 2024

Here are some of the key issues coming up during the 2024 General Election campaign in Tipperary North and Tipperary South:

COST OF LIVING

The cost of living crisis is impacting every household in the county as people struggle to pay bills and afford the weekly shopping to put food in their families’ mouths.

This is going to be a key concern on the doorsteps - especially for working people.

The Government always boasts about full employment levels, but what’s the point of people working if they can’t afford the basics...

AGRICULTURE

The nitrates derogation is pivotal for the Irish farming sector and must be retained long-term says farmer representative groups.

The Nitrates Derogation allows farmers to exceed the limit of 170kg of livestock manure nitrogen per hectare set down in the Nitrates Regulations, up to a maximum of 220 kg or 250 kg per hectare, subject to adherence to stricter rules.

Over 30 measures have been introduced at farm level since 2020.

These must be given time to work, says the Irish Farmers’ Association.

Farmers need certainty to justify making ongoing environmental investments on their farms, they added.

In January, it was reported that a senior Department of Agriculture official said he is confident that Ireland will secure another nitrates derogation from the EU for post-2025 – but that the big challenge will be to “maintain 220kg and 250kg where we can as maximum stocking rates”.

GARDA TRAINING

Proposals by Fianna Fáil to provide garda training in colleges and universities outside of Templemore have been met with furious reactions and could have serious implications for the rural town in Tipperary.

Templemore has been the sole Training College for gardaí since 1964.

Now, in what amounts to a General Election sound-byte, the outgoing Fianna Fáil Minister of State at the Department of Justice, James Browne, wants to offer training in colleges and universities outside of Templemore.

This would undermine the status of Templemore Garda College.

The loss or scaling down of the Garda College would also be disatrous for the local economy, as many businesses and services in the area rely on the support of the trainee gardaí.

CHILDCARE

Securing a place in childcare has become a nightmare for working parents and then paying for it can be just as challenging.

Many proposals have been put forward in Government party manifestos, but this is a problem that has gotten out of control.

And an industry that is also next to impossible to stay in from a childcare provider perspective as well.

ACCESS TO SERVICES

Getting a GP appointment in any county can be quite difficult and many GPs are not accepting new patients due to the huge pressure already on their clinics.

EMIGRATION/BRAIN DRAIN

Slowly but surely, more and more young people have begun heading to Australia again.

The trend has returned and despite high levels of employment here, people feel between the cost of living and the soaring cost of renting or buying a home, that they have no future in Ireland for the time being.