Galway County Council has advised road users that there are delays in Tuam due to emergency works.
The roadworks are causing delays outside The Birches estate in the town.
The council said that motorists can take the N17 Bypass route at the N17 Business Park to avoid the traffic.
Road users can also take the N17 bypass route at the junction with the N83 to avoid delays.
Minister for Education Norma Foley has announced the opening of applications for grants for various groups which allow for activities such as group music classes to take place in the community.
The Non-Mainstream Music Education Bursary Scheme 2023 will provide grants to organisations with limited or no access to other forms of public funding.
The total budget available in 2023 under the bursary scheme is €100,000.
Minister Foley said that it is vital that we provide our children and young learners with as many opportunities as possible to express themselves and show their creativity.
“I strongly believe that this grant can enhance, empower and enable community organisations to continue providing music tuition and classes for the remainder of the year,” she said.
The purpose of the scheme is to provide support by way of a cash grant, to established, smaller-scale, non-mainstream music education or community music initiatives.
Grants can be used to purchase instruments, other equipment and tuition. Grants are not intended for use on capital expenditure such as structural or building costs.
Interested parties can find the application form on the department’s website at the following link: gov.ie – Non-Mainstream Music Education Bursary Scheme.
AccountancySchool.ie student Lucy O’Donoghue from Galway City recently celebrated success in her ACCA (Association of Certified Chartered Accountants) exams, where she achieved first in Ireland and 19th place in the world in the Financial Management exam.
Lucy has completed a Masters in International Management from University of Galway and joined the graduate programme at the Central Bank.
With her interest in the areas of business, finance and strategic management, it was a logical next step to look at studying for ACCA qualifications with AccountancySchool.ie.
Lucy said that when she was starting out on her ACCA journey, 12 exams felt like a ‘mammoth task’ and at times ‘the road felt never-ending’.
“So, I think the best advice I would give to someone in a similar situation would be not to get bogged down by how far you have to go – take it exam-by-exam and keep chipping away at it. Eventually it will all come together!”
Dave O’Donoghue, Managing Director of AccountancySchool.ie, congratulated Lucy on her great results.
“We are delighted to again be celebrating a number of best in Ireland and best in the world results this year,” said Mr O’Donoghue.
“Our students consistently achieve the highest marks both locally and internationally.
“For all of our students, we give them the keys to a hugely rewarding career in accountancy and financial management. Currently, there is an acute shortage of accountants not just in Ireland but globally and ACCA trainees, affiliates and members are in high demand throughout the world.”
Bingo is a staple pastime all around the world, and friends of all ages get together and stamp the numbers in hopes of winning the main prize of the evening. If you’re playing for fun with your friends, you can create a group chat and decide on an award. It can be anything from actual cash to a little pet animal! You may be shocked to hear of this, but once upon a time, a woman won a huge farm animal playing charity bingo! You don’t believe us? Well, just read on and see for yourself!
Usually, people play bingo for money. One only needs to take a look at the leading bingo site, Foxy Bingo, to see how big bingo jackpots can actually get. But, there are some differences in the prizes. The size of your win will depend on how many lines of your ticket you stamp, and logically if you block out the entire sheet, you may truly win a lot!
Plus, not all bingo games are the same. There are huge bingo rooms that have prizes of six and even seven figures, while at your local bar, you may only go home richer by a hundred pounds.
Some play bingo in hopes to win vast amounts of cash and hopefully change their lives, while others are more hopeful to have an amazing evening with friends. This is what a young American woman had in mind, but then something very unexpected happened. She went home with her own cash cow!
Yes, a real milky cow was the top prize during this charity bingo game. She wasn’t anticipating her reward since other players had already taken home all the great prizes, such as smartphones, TV sets, and kitchen appliances. But the first prize was yet to be taken, and her name was called out. Of course, she was thrilled to win, but we aren’t sure where she put the cow. We hope not in her New York apartment!
Most people, we’re confident, have at least heard of the well-known adult retailer Ann Summer, known for its selection of seductive products, including underwear. They decided to launch their own online bingo site back in 2007.
You can probably guess what the rewards for these bingo games were as well. That is correct: plenty of lingerie and some raunchier prizes too. While their platform didn’t survive long, their rewards are some of the funniest ones out there.
Next time you organise a bingo night with your friends, we urge you to come up with a funny bingo prize and have a collective giggle at the end of the night. Some of our suggestions are lingerie, whose funny factor will be taken up a notch if your manliest of friends win it, or a little pet fish which can become a loving low-effort pet. If you decide on a fish, make sure that you have an aquarium that goes with it. Plus, it will already have a name – Bingo!
University Hospital Galway continues to be highly overcrowded this week, with almost 60 patients on trolleys today.
The 57 patients at UHG without a bed according to INMO Trolley/Ward Watch figures, making it the third worst in the country for overcrowding today.
Of those patients admitted, there are 44 on trolleys in the emergency department, and a further 13 without a bed in the wards.
The Saolta Group said in a statement to Galway Daily that due to the ongoing pressure, elective day case and adult inpatient procedures are continuing to be postponed.
“Urgent, time sensitive cases are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed.”
“Patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times.”
“People who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised.”
“The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.”
At Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe there are a further 10 patients who have been admitted with no beds available as of this morning.
Half of those patients are on trolleys in the emergency department at Portiuncula, and half are in the wards.
Nationwide there are a total of 548 patients in Irish hospitals for whom no bed is available today.
The worst affected in the country is University Hospital Limerick (79), followed by Cork University Hospital (62), and UHG (57).
Long vacant commercial units in Oranmore will get a new lease of life as a restaurant under plans approved by the county council.
Planning permission has been granted Raviolo Verde Limited for the conversion of Units A – D of the Carraig Lair Shopping Centre in Oranmore.
The development will involve amalgamating all four units, and for changing their use to a restaurant.
The four commercial units are currently vacant, and have not been used since the shopping centre was first built.
A cover letter for the projects states that it is expected that the new restaurant will create 10 permanent jobs for the area.
“There is ample car parking on site to cater for the patrons. There is both surface car parking, and a basement car park which is available for use.”
“The restaurant is also located in Oranmore village so patrons can easily walk to same without having to drive.”
“As the restaurant forms part of a larger commercial holding, there is an established delivery practice and set down area.”
The restaurant will primarily operate as a dine-in business, the cover letter states, with an ancillary takeaway option.
Planning permission for the project was granted by Galway County Council with eleven conditions attached.
Malachaí exposed the heinous betrayal of Michelle, Caitríona’s gonna get a gun, and Noreen puts Conall in his place in Ros na Rún.
Malachaí exposes Greg and Sorcha’s horrific betrayal to Michelle, making sure she knows the lengths they went to in order to get their hands on her money.
Truth in hand, Michelle plots her revenge coldly, and plans to play the long game. But just what retribution does she have in mind?
That’s not all, as thanks to Michelle, Malachaí is able to destroy all the evidence Greg planned to use against him.
Caitríona, on seeing an old gun in Micheal’s possession, believes it may have been used to kill her great uncle. If only she could get her hands on it.
Conall believes Noreen does too much as it is, in Tigh Thaidhg’s, and should find better employment.
But Noreen soon puts him straight and has Conall wondering if he should take a leaf out of her book.
Vera loses all respect for Diana when she refuses to arrest a petty criminal. Will Diana regret this decision?
Catch up on all the latest plotting and drama in Ros na Rún in a double this Sunday on TG4.
Seeking financial advice is one of the most important decisions for you and your finances and often brings about many questions for people who require the advice of an expert.
We’ve put together a list of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about seeking financial advice.
Read on to gain more clarity and understanding on financial advice and how it can work for you.
Many people wonder whether they might benefit from financial advice, and whether there are any criteria for seeking expert guidance.
The truth is, anyone can seek financial advice and benefit significantly from insight into their finances.
Regardless of your financial situation, there’s no better time to start seeking financial advice than now.
For example, Netwealth financial planning has expert advisers who are experienced in dealing with a wide range of clients, each with their own situations, challenges and needs.
Your adviser will tailor their advice to your unique circumstances, whatever it may be, to help you build your wealth as effectively as possible.
Financial advice can help you with a variety of different financial situations, challenges, and goals including:
Your expert adviser will help you take the necessary steps to achieve your goals, that are both beneficial to growing your wealth, and realistic in terms of your financial situation.
The type of financial advice you need will depend on your specific situation, and what your adviser will recommend as the best approach.
Two key forms of advice are:
A crucial aspect of your financial health is how you manage your investments, and an adviser can offer expert guidance.
For example, they can help you find the right balance of risk and potential reward with your portfolios. This will ensure you’re making the right investments to build your wealth, while also investing in a way that’s suited to your current financial circumstances.
Your adviser will also take into account all of your financial goals, and analyse your income, expenses, etc., to find out how much you should be investing according to your unique requirements.
For example, they could help you explore the Three Pot Theory and how it can optimise your finances, and help direct your investments.
A good place to find meaningful financial advice is with an expert wealth management service.
There are many things to consider when seeking the right wealth manager. But you should opt for a service with experienced and qualified professionals, that offers highly competitive fees and powerful technology so you can better access their expert guidance.
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Please note, the value of your investments can
Repairs to a major leak in the Galway City Water network have stopped the loss of 850,000 litres of water a day.
The amount of water saved each day after a leak was detected on Rosary Lane off Taylor’s Hill is equivalent to what is used by the entire population of Ballinasloe.
Gerry O’Donnell, Leakage Reduction Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann, described the find as “one of the largest savings of our precious resource this year in the North-West Region.”
“It’s hard to understand that more than 850,000 litres of clean drinking water were disappearing underground every day.”
“Water is a valuable resource and expensive to produce so finding this leak and successfully repairing it was of paramount importance.”
Uisce Éireann and Galway City Council recognised a spike in water usage in the Taylor’s Hill area.
However, there was a challenge in identifying the exact location of the water loss on the underground public network as there was no water surfacing.
The exact location of the leak was pinpointed using step testing and specialised detection equipment, allowing it to be fixed.
“As a result of the collaboration between Galway City Council and Uisce Éireann, customers are enjoying a more secure and reliable water supply,” Gerry O’Donnell said.
“For our leak detection team to have found this leak and the subsequent improvement to the network is a massive win”.
A Status Yellow weather warning for strong winds and possible flooding is in place for Galway today.
The wind warning issued by Met Eireann for Galway and Clare will be in effect until 5pm on Friday evening.
There will be very strong and gusty winds today, Met Eireann has warned, with the possibility of coastal flooding.
A marine Gale Warning is also in effect for western coastal waters from Mizen Head to Loop Head to Erris Head today.
Southwesterly winds will reach gale force at times today, with the yellow warning in place until 7pm on Friday.
It’s forecast to be a miserable day all round in Galway on Friday, with rain developing this morning and persisting throughout the day.
Highest temperatures on Friday of 8 to 9 degrees, with winds easing off heading into the night, but remaining moderately strong.
Conditions will improve over the weekend, with only scattered showers on Saturday and Sunday, and some sunshine amidst cloudy skies.
A 53 year old Connemara man has been sentenced to two years in prison for sexually assaulting a stranger on a bus in Galway.
Patrick O’Toole was sentenced at Galway Circuit Court for multiple charges related to assaulting a woman on a bus in Galway in 2019.
O’Toole, who has an address at Gleanntrasna, Rosmuc, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempting to commit sexual assault, and one charge of simple assault.
Judge Brian O’Callaghan handed down a sentence of three and half years, with the final 18 months of it suspended for a period of two years after his release from prison.
All of these offences occurred on a bus travelling between Moycullen and Clifden on the afternoon of August 6, 2019.
Garda Peter Naughten gave evidence to the court that on August 8 of 2019, he took a report from a woman who said she had been assaulted on a bus two days prior.
On the afternoon of August 6, shortly after 3pm, she had boarded a bus from Moycullen to Clifden. An man she didn’t know, later confirmed as Patrick O’Toole, sat next to her.
He began speaking to her, and offered her vodka, and quickly this talk escalated to become sexually explicit. He groped her thigh and breast, and attempted to forcibly kiss her
Gardaí spoke with the bus driver, who confirmed that O’Toole had been on the bus, as well as the taxi driver who collected the victim, who told them that she was clearly distressed and crying when he picked her up.
O’Toole was arrested by Gardaí on September 18, and interviewed on two occasions by Gardaí, in which he admitted to being on the bus, but did not admit to the assault.
In a victim impact statement which Garda Naughten read for the court, the victim said that she still doesn’t feel safe going out unless her mother is with her.
“I don’t think this man realises or cares what this has done to me or my mom”, the victim said, adding that she wants to have a family, but is afraid to meet people to this day.
Mr O’Toole’s barrister Bernard Madden SC said that his client, who lives with his 83 year old mother, has a serious alcohol problem.
The defence said that the plea of guilty was of benefit to the victim, as it meant she did not have to give evidence in court.
The court heard that O’Toole has a total of 18 criminal convictions between Ireland and the UK, split half and half before and since this incident, including one for assault causing harm here, and one for grievous bodily harm in the UK.
Judge Brian O’Callaghan noted that the report from the probation services showed that there was victim blaming from O’Toole, as he claimed that the injured party wanted to come home with him.
His plea of guilty was “the one good thing you’ve done”, the Judge said of the case, noting that the victim was a vulnerable person, and that O’Toole wouldn’t have been let on the bus if he was truly drunk.
The judge said that he “knew damn well” what he was doing and saying. “You invaded this lady’s space and dignity, and it’s quite obvious that you couldn’t have cared less.”
The judge set a headline sentence of 4 and a half years due to the harm done, and high level of moral culpability.
He reduced the sentence to three and a half years after taking the plea of guilty into account as mitigation.
In addition to the final 18 months being suspended, O’Toole must also come under the supervision of the probation services for 18 months after release, and has also been registered as a sex offender.
Galway City Council has given the green light for a popular café chain to open a new branch in the city centre.
A planning application by Daniel Sajfert to change the use of No. 34 Prospect Hill from retail to café/restaurant use has been approved.
The Jungle Café chain already has a branch on Forster Street, as well as a coffee dock and snack stand at Ladies Beach in Salthill.
The new city centre café would be located in the ground floor of the building, with a total internal floor space of 102m².
The business will also feature an outdoor seating area located to the rear of the premises, which also contains external parking.
Planning permission for the new café was granted by the city council with eleven conditions attached.
Connacht Rugby have announced that the club has signed on Argentinian International Santiago Cordero in a two year deal.
The 29 year old full-back/winger will be joining Connacht next season, moving to the west from Bordeaux Begles, where he has scored 29 tries in 67 appearances for the club across four seasons.
Santiago said that he’s very excited to be joining Connacht from next season, and can’t wait to “move there and meet all the boys and people” with the team.
“I visited Connacht recently for a few days, and I thought Galway was a beautiful place and I can’t wait to play my rugby there.”
“I had a lot of good chats with Pete Wilkins, Tim Allnutt and Jack Carty, and they are sure I can play my best rugby in Connacht. It’s a great team and when picking my next club I was sure Connacht was the right one.”
“Connacht love to play rugby the right way from everywhere on the pitch and they’re always in attack mode, and that’s what I like.”
Prior to his move to France, Cordero spent two seasons with the Exeter Chiefs, where he scored 10 tries in 33 appearances.
While there, he also took home the Gallagher Premiership Player of the Month award, and was nominated for the prestigious RPA Player of the Year award in 2019.
On the international scene, the 29-year old has made 45 appearances for Argentina. His performances at the 2015 Rugby World Cup earned him significant plaudits across the world, helping his native country to a 4th place finish in the tournament.
He beat 31 defenders, more than any other player in the tournament, and also came 2nd in clean breaks and 3rd in metres run.
Connacht Rugby Head Coach Pete Wilkins said that they’re thrilled that Santiago has chosen to move forward with them, and called the signing a “real statement of intent” from the club.
“He is a genuine world class talent with a wealth of experience at the highest level, and being in the prime of his career he will no doubt make an immediate impact.”
“Having got to know Santiago during the recruitment process, it’s also clear he is also a brilliant bloke who will bring energy and character to the club, both on and off the field.”
“I know our supporters will be very excited by this news, and like them I look forward to seeing Santiago wearing the green of Connacht for the next two years.”
The Connacht Hospitality Group is partnering with the Galway Races once again for the summer racing and fashion festival.
The CHG will be the title sponsor for the renowned Best Dressed competition on Ladies Day for the second year as a row, as well as keeping their long running sponsorship of Monday’s feature race.
The Galway Races Summer Festival is shaping up to be a massive event when crowds return to Ballybrit from July 31 – August 6.
Last year saw 120,000 people pass through the turnstiles at Ballybrit in the first year fully back since the pandemic, and massive crowds are expected once again in 2023.
Connacht Hospitality Group’s Marketing and Innovation Manager Eveanna Ryan spoke about the continued partnership, saying that it was fantastic to once again sponsor the Summer Races.
“We’re expecting plenty of thrills over the course of the seven days, and we’re looking forward to another fantastically fun few days in July and August.”
“It’s a continued pleasure for the Group to work with the team at Galway Races which showcases so much, from phenomenal racing to incredible fashion.”
She added that she’s also looking forward to their feature sponsorship race on the opening Monday of the Festival.
The Connacht Hotel (Q.R) Handicap will be the fourth race of the day on Monday, taking place at 6:40pm, the 15th year running in which the hotel has sponsored this race.
“The easy part was sponsoring the Galway Races in the first place – the hard part will be waiting for all the excitement to start in four months’ time!” Eveanna said.
Group General Manager, Wayne Neilon also commented that, “The Connacht Hotel has been sponsoring the QR Handicap for 15 years – and it’s a continued honor to do so.”
“The QR Handicap showcases some of the finest rising stars in horse racing, and we’re delighted to put our name behind it.”
“The race features those looking to make a name for themselves, something that our Group values – after all, it was founded by a trailblazing family who like to pioneer in brilliant ways,” Wayne added.
The Connacht Hospitality Group is the group behind popular hotels like The Connacht Hotel, Residence Hotel, and HYDE Hotel, while they also own An Púcán, 1520, and HYDE Bar.
The family-owned Group is run by the Fitzgerald family and company Director John Carmody, together with their leadership team.
Minister Heather Humphreys and Managing Director of SuperValu Ian Allen have launched the 2023 TidyTowns competition today.
The competition, sponsored by SuperValu, has been bringing communities together and addressing some of the environmental challenges of modern society since 1958.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the TidyTowns competition, and it is expected that it will attract one of the highest number of entries ever.
The official launch took place in Trim, County Meath – the winners of the 2022 Supervalu Tidy Towns Competition.
Minister for Community Development Heather Humphreys said that the competition has become part of the fabric of Irish society.
“The saying ‘ní neart go cur le chéile’, which means unity is our strength, really sums up what SuperValu TidyTowns is all about.
“Once again the focus this year will be on bringing communities and TidyTowns volunteers of all ages together as we effect real change and make our towns and villages better places to live, work, visit and raise a family.”
The number of entries is steadily increasing and many new groups are entering the competition for the first time or returning with new enthusiasm and drive to improve their local areas.
The Special Awards also continue to bring an added dimension to the completion and again this year we have an impressive array of special awards with some fantastic prizes.
The closing date for receipt of entries for this year’s competition is Wednesday, 10 May 2023.
Entry forms for the SuperValu TidyTowns competition are available at www.tidytowns.ie and will be emailed to all registered groups. Entry to the competition will only be accepted by email to the tidytowns@drcd.gov.ie address.
Former Ireland and Ulster Rugby captain Rory Best will embark on an epic 300 km walking challenge in May to help Cancer Fund for Children build a therapeutic short break centre in the West for children impacted by cancer and their families.
Rory’s Miles 2 Mayo will see the rugby legend walk from the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to the site of the short break centre at Daisy Lodge in Cong, on the shores of Lough Corrib.
Between 16 and 25 May, Rory will walk through Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare and Galway, before arriving in Cong on the Mayo-Galway border.
He hopes to raise €2 million to make this much-needed centre a reality and help ensure no child has to face cancer alone.
“A childhood cancer diagnosis can impact on the whole family. Hospital appointments, treatment and the pressures of navigating this experience can leave a family feeling disconnected and exhausted,” said Rory as he prepares for the challenge.
“Short breaks at Daisy Lodge provide children with cancer a space to rest, time with their families and build connections with others their own age going through the same thing.
“They get to be treated like the stars they are and that’s why I’m delighted to be doing my bit to help bring another therapeutic facility like this to Co. Mayo.”
Rory gave a special thanks to The Ardonagh Group, Arachas and Kingsbridge Private Hospital for sponsoring the walk.
The announcement of Rory’s Miles 2 Mayo follows a town hall meeting in Cong where the charity gave an update on the building of Daisy Lodge and the expansion of the their services across the island of Ireland.
The meeting was attended by local volunteers and community groups as well as public figures including Councillor Damien Ryan and President of Connacht Rugby, Gerry O’Donnell.
In the past year, Cancer Fund for Children has recruited a new Cancer Support Specialist based on St. John’s Ward in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin.
They have also recently recruited their first community-based Cancer Support Specialist based in the West to provide informal emotional and social support to families navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis in their homes, community and shared care centres.
These roles have been developed in partnership with The Katie Nugent Fund and Children’s Health Foundation and three more community-based roles are due to be filled in the coming months.
Find out more about this organisation by visiting www.cancerfundforchildren.com.
You can also get behind Rory’s challenge and help him go the distance this May by visiting www.rorysmiles2mayo.com.
County Councillor Andrew Reddington has said that the current doctor shortage in the Headford area is of “serious concern for many” in the area.
He called on government to establish a scheme to entice doctors to small towns such as Headford, saying it is difficult for a doctor to set up a practice in rural areas.
The Fine Gael councillor said that one in seven working GPs were over 65, meaning many were retiring — while others were leaving rural general practice due to various challenges.
The situation is becoming “a self-perpetuating downward spiral”, he said, as working in particular areas is “unattractive” due to the expected workload.
Cllr Reddington has organised a meeting with Chief Officer for Community Healthcare West Breda Crehan Roche regarding the retirement of her GP position.
The HSE has confirmed that her position has been advertised and interviews will be held in the coming weeks, if eligible applications are received for the position.
While this may come as a relief for many patients, Cllr Reddington said we have to wait until the interview process is complete before we know where the new doctor will be based.
“I am hopeful that her position will be filled, but this cannot be guaranteed,” he said.
Just three Galway TDs voted against the Government’s counter motion to Sinn Féin’s motion to extend the eviction ban until next year in the Dáil yesterday.
Galway West TDs Catherine Connolly and Mairéad Farrell, and Roscommon-Galway TD Claire Kerrane voted against the Coalition, which ultimately prevailed by 83 votes to 68.
The Government accommodated a range of demands made by Independent TDs before the vote, with local TDs Seán Canney, Denis Naughten and Michael Fitzgerald voting with the Coalition.
The vote ended with Government’s majority being reduced to a single vote after Green Party TD for Dublin Central Neasa Hourigan was suspended for 15 months for voting against the Government.
The Opposition is likely to maintain the pressure over the coming weeks over the controversial decision, with the eviction ban set to expire in nine days’ time.
Sinn Féin’s Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said that 3,000 families, single people, couples, families with children and pensioners have eviction notices for April.
He said that every TD present yesterday had a clear choice to make.
“Shame on Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party – every one of their backbenchers – and those independent TDs who knowingly chose to make ordinary people in their communities homeless,” he said.
“Many of these people will be forced to move in with family and friends, others will be forced to emigrate because they will be unable to find alternative accommodation.”
A celebration of Gaeltacht women in Business will be held in the Connemara Coast Hotel in Furbo next Friday, 31 March, hosted by Údarás na Gaeltachta and Atlantic Technological University.
In the morning at a private event, 13 women who were selected onto the 12-week Cumasú start-up programme will pitch their start-up ideas to a panel of judges.
At 12.45pm there will be an event to celebrate all female entrepreneurs who have started businesses or are based or working in the Gaeltacht and a general event celebrating female entrepreneurship.
EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, Evelyn O Toole, who is a native of Clifden and founder and CEO of CLS, will be there to chat to Noreen D’Arcy about growing a business in the Gaeltacht area and the support she has received to-date.
Siobhán Ní Chofaigh CEO and founder of Mint-Tek, a prototype creator that services some of the largest multinationals in Ireland, will be talking to Noreen about her own journey and the opportunities and challenges that have come her way.
Minister for State at the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, Dara Calleary, will be among the distinguished guests on the day, marking the end of what will be the first Gaeltacht enterprise programme with a specific focus on women entrepreneurs.
This is an invite-only event so anyone who wishes to attend should register their interest at www.eventbrite.ie/e/ag-
All primary and special schools in Ireland will be able to avail of free schoolbooks under a new scheme to help ease costs for parents.
The scheme will provide free schoolbooks, but also workbooks and copybooks, for over 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools.
The investment of more than €50 million in this programme expands on the free school book pilot, currently operating in over 100 primary schools in the DEIS programme.
Minister for Education Norma Foley said, “I am delighted to announce details of the funding package of over €50 million secured in Budget 2023 for the landmark new scheme to provide free schoolbooks in all primary schools and special schools.
“This ground-breaking, permanent measure will ease some of the financial burden facing families with the back-to- school costs.”
“The objective of the new scheme is about ensuring every child has the resources required to access education and also easing financial burdens surrounding the back to school costs which can be a cause of financial difficulty for many families each year.”
“By providing our primary school children with free school books, we are enhancing their educational experience, not just in the classroom but reaching out into the family home.”
Under this scheme schoolbooks will be the property of the school, to be returned at the end of the year.
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