Connacht squad named for Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship

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January 4, 2023

Galway Daily news Lidl appeal rejection of Portumna supermarket plans

Lidl is appealing to An Bord Pleanála against the county council’s rejection of plans for a new supermarket in Portumna.

Planning permission was refused for the construction of a single storey supermarket on a site between Clonfert Avenue and Dominic Street in Portumna, in late November.

In refusing planning permission the county council said that one of the two proposed vehicular entrances, onto Dominic Street, would create a road traffic hazard.

The council said that it had insufficient sightlines, and that the additional turning onto and off the road would interfere with the free flow of traffic.

The second reason given for refusing planning permission was that the proposed layout failed to mesh with the urban form of the nearby town centre, and Architectural Conservation Area streets of Portumna.

The prosed supermarket would have a total floor space of 2,275m², and 1,409m² of retail space, with pedestrian and vehicle access onto both roads it faces.

A planning report submitted with the application states that it is expected to create 25 permanent jobs when open, and in excess of €1.5 million worth of wages during the construction phase.

The report also states that developing a new physical retail store in Portumna would help stop money going to other catchment areas, or online food shopping.

It also states that additional retail offerings are needed to accommodate future population growth in the town and surrounds.

In their appeal against the council’s decision, Lidl states that there is no substantiated basis to the council’s position on the access point onto Dominic Street.

As regards the second reason, the appeal states that there is no uniform pattern in the urban form of the area, with varied land uses, as well as building line, height, materials, and scale.

The appeal was lodged with the higher planning authority on December 21, and a decision is due on the case by May 4 of this year.

Average house prices in Galway City reached over €350,000 in 2022

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January 4, 2023

Galway Daily business Galway house prices increase 2.1%

Average house prices in Galway rose by more than 6% over the course of 2022, but began to fall in the last three months of the year.

As of Q4 of 2022, the average cost of a house in Galway County was €259,281, a 6.1% increase over the previous year.

In Galway the city the rise was more dramatic, with an 8% year-on-year rise in house prices to an average of €350,541.

However, both Galway County and Galway City recorded a slight decline in prices of 0.5% and 0.8% respectively in the final quarter of the year.

The national average for house prices by the end of the year was €309,941, an increase of 6.1% on 2021. But there was also a nationwide decline in prices in the final three months of the year.

Economist Ronan Lyons, who compiled the Daft.ie Irish House Price Report, said that this is the first time in two years that there has been any decline in the cost of housing.

“During the 2010s, a pattern emerged of what the academic literature calls a ‘cold’ market in the final three months of the year.”

“In each year from 2014 to 2018, encouraged by the calendar-year basis of the mortgage market rules and their exemptions, prices rose in each of the first three quarters but fell in the final one.”

“This seasonality was noticeably absent from the market between the middle of 2020 and the middle of 2022, when prices rose for eight consecutive quarters ‐ the longest run of increases going back to the start of the Daft.ie Sales Report in 2006.”

He attributed this to a slow but steady increase in the supply of housing, but warned that availability is still closer to the low point of the pandemic than pre-pandemic levels.

“Coupled with another 6% increase in the average listed prices, this suggests that, at least over the course of 2022, demand has remained strong.”

“But what will 2023 bring? There are reasons to think that demand has started to cool off, following an unprecedented couple of years.”

!On the one hand, interest rates have risen. One mortgage market provider started the year with fixed rates below 2% but will enter the new year with rates for the same product of almost double that.”

“This mathematically filters through to affordability and the maximum loan a provider will lend,” Ronan Lyons said.

He added that 2023 may see Ireland come the close to achieving balance in the property market, as supply recovers and demand becomes more uncertain.

City Cllr Owen Hanley resigns following allegations

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January 4, 2023

Galway Daily news City Cllr Owen Hanley resigns following allegations

City Councillor Owen Hanley has announced that he is resigning following “serious allegations” made about him.

The Social Democrats Councillor announced his resignation on Facebook, stating that he believed it is the correct thing to do.

He said that these are “very serious matters and will obviously take a considerable length of time to be investigated fully” by the appropriate authorities.

He also said that he does not intend to make any further comment on the matter.

Owen Hanley was first elected to the city council in 2019 at the age of 23, the youngest member sitting on the council.

He was also the first member of the Social Democrats ever to be elected to the city council.

Public meeting to discuss approval of Gort BioGas plant

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January 4, 2023

Galway Daily news Public meeting to discuss approval of Gort BioGas plant — Photo Credit: Vasyatka

A public meeting will take place in Gort later today to discuss the highly controversial BioGas plant, which has been granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála.

The Gort Bio Gas Concern Group, which has long opposed the project, is holding the public meeting to discuss the recent planning approval.

The Bord approved the plans by Sustainable Bio-Energy Limited for for the biogas plant on the outskirts of Gort, overturning the county council’s decision.

The council has twice refused approval for the BioGas plant, raising concerns about traffic hazards, that the area is not suited for industrial development of this scale, and potential environmental impacts.

The proposed biogas plant in the townlands of Ballynamantan, Kinincha and Glenbrack would be used to treat farm waste in order to produce fertiliser and energy.

However, this decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála in 2020, which decided to grant permission for the Biogas plant subject to 22 conditions.

The project has seen heavy local opposition, with hundreds of objections submitted to the council when it was considering these applications.

The public meeting being organised by the Gort Bio Gas Concern Group will take place at Sullivan’s Hotel in Gort at 7:30pm on Wednesday.

77 people on trolleys in Galway hospitals in record day for overcrowding nationally

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January 3, 2023

Seventy-seven patients were waiting on trolleys in Galway’s public hospitals today in what has been a record day for overcrowding in hospitals nationally.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation recorded 931 people on trolleys at 11am today – the highest level of overcrowding since the union began recording trolley figures in 2006.

A total of 52 patients were on trolleys today at University Hospital Galway, and Portiuncula University Hospital had a further 25 people waiting for a bed.

The INMO said that in light of today’s stark figures, ‘immediate and serious’ intervention is needed from the government.

The union said that politicians do not need to describe how we got here – but that they need to explain what exactly the plan is from today until the end of February.

“Just telling people to avoid hospitals is not a plan or indeed safe. The public need to know exactly what type of care they can expect over the next six weeks.”

The INMO also said its members are ‘extremely disillusioned’ by the current set of circumstances they are working in.

“We are not seeing unsustainable overcrowding confined to a handful of hospitals, each hospital is facing significant overcrowding challenges, a trend which has continued to escalate since late summer.

“Our members are treating patients in inhumane and often unsafe conditions.”

They called on the government to make difficult decisions, including “the return of mandated mask-wearing in congregated settings.”

“We know that one of the main pressure points in our health service is the rise of respiratory infections. Asking people to return to mask-wearing in busy congregated settings is a simple measure.”

Student maintenance grant increases from today

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January 2, 2023

Galway Daily news Fewer than 4,000 remain on pandemic unemployment in Galway

Students maintenance grants will increase from today as part of changes agreed in Budget 2023.

The Special and Band 1 maintenance grant rates increase by 14%, and all other maintenance grant rates by 10%.

Students will see their rates increase proportionally, with students in the 2023/2024 academic year seeing the full benefit of the rate increase.

The increases come on top of other measures introduced to help students as part of Budget 2023.

In December, eligible PLC, undergraduate and postgraduate students who receive the special rate of grant were paid the equivalent to one extra monthly maintenance grant payment.

Speaking today, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said that the grant is important for thousands of students and their families across the country.

“It is my job as Minister to ensure every person, regardless of their background, has the same opportunity to access further and higher education,” he said.

“That is why we reduced the contribution fee by €1,000 for all undergraduate students eligible for free fees, and effective from today we are increasing all student maintenance grant payments by at least 10%.”

Diaspora links key to 2023 Global Invitation Initiative says local senator

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January 2, 2023

Galway Daily education Funding for reopening schools must "immediately" available Galway Senator says

Reconnecting with our diaspora will be an essential strand of a new tourism project which will be tasked with attracting international tourists to Ireland, local senator Aisling Dolan has said.

Senator Dolan said the Global Invitation Programme will aim to stimulate international demand and features as a recommendation of the Tourism Recovery Plan 2020-2023.

She said that it is crucial that we engage with families and people with Irish connections living abroad.

“There is a wealth of goodwill for Ireland and now is the time to ask for that boost for 2023,” Senator Dolan explained.

The Fine Gael senator said the Irish tourism sector continues to emerge from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, but this year will be the third anniversary of the pandemic, and to that end, plans to boost the sector’s recovery continue.

“€5 million was allocated to the conceptual development process of the Global Invitation Programme in 2022, with a further €15 million being allocated in Budget 2023 for the Programme and international marketing,” she said.

“The Global Invitation Programme will highlight what Ireland has become renowned for all over the world; the warmth of our welcome, the beauty of our landscape and the richness of our culture.

“Reaching out to our diaspora should underpin this new programme – particularly when one considers that many Irish people now living overseas have not yet had the opportunity to visit home since the pandemic first started.”

868 Ukrainian students now enrolled in Galway schools

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January 2, 2023

There are now 868 Ukrainian students enrolled in schools across Galway, according to the latest figures from the Department of Education.

Of those, 555 are in primary schools and 313 pupils are in post-primary schools in the county.

Nationally, 8,823 Ukrainians are now enrolled in primary schools while 4,930 pupils have enrolled in secondary schools.

Regional Education and Language Teams across Ireland are ensuring that information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine.

Information for parents in Ukrainian and Russian on accessing school places is available on gov.ie/Ukraine.

Enrolments by County as of 22 December

County	Primary	Post-primary
Carlow	109	61
Cavan	213	87
Clare	570	332
Cork	872	482
Donegal	752	405
Dublin	1216	674
Galway	555	313
Kerry	879	494
Kildare	137	83
Kilkenny	155	108
Laois	112	77
Leitrim	191	110
Limerick	284	178
Longford	57	56
Louth	212	174
Mayo	485	252
Meath	270	115
Monaghan	56	25
Offaly	96	35
Roscommon	145	48
Sligo	142	127
Tipperary	162	110
Waterford	248	131
Westmeath	179	79
Wexford	433	204
Wicklow	293	170
Total	8,823	4,930

Mountbellew chosen for People’s Transition Project

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January 2, 2023

galway daily news grd mountbellew project — Aoife Noone of Noone Cyber Services and Smart Villages Mountbellew, Steve Dolan of Galway Rural Development, and secretary of Smart Villages Mountbellew Marilyn Fleming

People in Mountbellew have been invited to the Malthouse Bar in Mountbellew this Thursday at 7.30pm to discuss the town being chosen as Galway’s location for a community-led development project for climate justice.

The ‘People’s Transition, led by TASC, will help the Mountbellew community benefit from the transition to a zero-carbon society and leverage opportunities along the way.

In making the announcement, senior researcher of climate justice at TASC, Kieran Harrahill, said: “Having engaged with Galway Rural Development and the Smart Villages Mountbellew teams, we’re already delighted with the chosen location for Co. Galway and we are confident we can make a real difference together.”

He said that if climate action is to be enduring, then it must be inclusive and equitable.

“The People’s Transition aims to design climate solutions that give local communities, like those here in Mountbellew, ownership of assets of transition and thus enhance public support for climate action by tackling inequality and delivering on real opportunities for growth.”

Steve Dolan, CEO of Galway Rural Development, said that they are indebted to Kieran and the TASC think tank team for wanting to build on the great work going on in Mountbellew at the moment through Smart Villages.

“Together we share the values of wanting to reduce inequality and wanting to leverage climate action as an enabler of local development,” said Mr Dolan.

Marilyn Fleming, secretary of Smart Villages Mountbellew, said: “This is welcome news. Mountbellew People’s Transition will begin immediately.

“The intention will be to listen to, and learn from, the community’s needs and abilities and then design a number of solutions that will benefit the community and its main development priorities.”

“In terms of timing for the phases of the project, namely mapping, dialogue and solutions; the initial three months will involve desk-based research analysis.

“And in the new year, dialogue will begin in terms of speaking with people in interviews and focus groups, while the last phase will be developing solutions. We are excited about the potential in 2023 and beyond.”

Chilly start to the New Year with heavy rain further ahead

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January 1, 2023

Galway Daily weather Weather warning as further snow showers forecast

The new year promises to start off chilly tonight and Monday in Galway, before heavy rain develops early next week.

New Year’s Day is going to have a nippy tail on it according to Met Eireann’s forecast, with temperatures reaching lows of 1 – 3 degrees in Galway this evening and tonight.

A Status Yellow weather warning for Ice and Fog will be in place overnight, with Met Eireann warning of hazardous driving conditions.

It will however, at least rain dry, with some patches of sunshine in the late afternoon in places, and only a light variable wind.

Monday will be a very chilly start to the week, with temperatures below 0 degrees in the morning in many places, with patches of ice and fog.

A cloudy start to the morning will give way to clear sunny skies in the afternoon, with temperatures also picking up to highs of 4 – 7 degrees.

A light variable breeze in the morning will gain strength throughout the day, becoming strong southeasterly winds by night time.

Rain will also start to develop overnight on Monday, heading into a much more miserable Tuesday.

Tuesday will see persistent rain throughout the day, turning very heavy at times, with no let up from morning to night.

That said, it will at least be warmer, with highest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees for much of the day.

However, moderate to strong variable winds forecast by Met Eireann mean that the day will likely still carry a sharp bite.

Headed into Wednesday, the rain will die off by mid morning, and the bulk of the day will see partly cloudy skies, with some sunny spells also.

That said, Wednesday promises to be a windy one, with persistent moderate to fresh winds, strongest in coastal areas.

Temperatures on Wednesday will average 9 – 11 degrees throughout the day, Met Eireann has forecast.

For the latter half of the week, more heavy rain is expected on Thursday, with better conditions on Friday before a wet and unsettled weekend.

Weather warning for hazardous conditions tonight

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January 1, 2023

Galway Daily news Met Eireann issues Fog warning as motorists advised to exercise caution

Met Eireann has issued a weather warning for Fog and Ice in Galway tonight, creating hazardous driving conditions.

The status yellow warning for all of Ireland will be in place from 11pm on Sunday night until 11am on Monday morning.

During that time icy stretches, along with freezing fog, may create hazardous road conditions.

New income thresholds for social housing come into effect

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January 1, 2023

Galway Daily news Galway City Council has announced plans for a social housing development of 84 apartments and houses in Knocknacarra.

New income eligibility thresholds for social housing and housing supports have come into effect from today.

From January 1, the income threshold for social housing has been raised to €40,000 in Galway City, and €35,000 in Galway County.

“It’s been over a decade since any changes have been made to the income eligibility thresholds and under Housing for All a commitment was made to review the eligibility limits,” Minister Darragh O’Brien said.

“The new income limits are now in place across the country and all Local Authorities will have updated their own application forms and systems.”

The €5,000 increase to the threshold for council housing and housing assistance was announced by the government at the start of December.

Galway County has also previously benefited from another €5,000 rise announced a few months prior to that.

Minister O’Brien added that work is ongoing on developing a revised model for income eligibility, and that this is expected to be completed this year.

Plans to open new Padel Tennis courts in Oranmore

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January 1, 2023

Galway Daily sport Plans for Oranmore Padel courts knocked back — Photo: Oliver Sjostrom via Pexels

Plans are in the works to open a new Padel Tennis Club in Oranmore, with approval being sought for courts and facilities.

Galway Padel Club Limited is seeking approval from the county council for five Padel courts at Deerpark Industrial Estate, Oranmore.

The club is also seeking planning for changing rooms and sanitary facilities, a manager’s office, along with car and bicycle parking.

Padel is a racket sport which has grown in popularity recently, played in doubles using solid rackets, on an enclosed court.

A decision on this planning application is due from Galway County Council by January 28.

Multinational sector jobs grew by 7.3% in the West in 2022

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January 1, 2023

Galway Daily business Multinational sector jobs grew by 7.3% in the West in 2022

The number of people in the west of Ireland employed by multinationals grew by 7.3% last year, peaking at 31,490 employees.

The IDA said that Ireland saw its largest ever increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment levels in 2022, adding a total of 32,426 new jobs.

With 8,407 jobs lost in the multinational sector last year, that’s a net gain of 24,019 jobs for the year 2022.

Mary Buckley, Interim Chief Executive of IDA Ireland said that the “challenging and volatile international environment” that was seen in 2021 escalated last year.

“In light of that, these annual results are most encouraging and show that investors’ commitment to Ireland remains strong and Ireland’s value proposition as a place to do business remains a compelling one.”

Among the biggest new announcements in Galway over 2022 included Boston Scientific unveiling a new €100m expansion of its operations in Ballybrit, which is expected to create over 300 jobs.

Medtronic announced that it would be creating 200 new Research & Development jobs at its Parkmore facility back in July.

This €30 million investment came as the medtech company celebrated its 40th anniversary at the Galway City campus.

In addition, IBM announced plans to add an additional 200 jobs across their operations in Galway and Cork.

“That said, the now evident severe headwinds facing the global economy in 2023 means we will have to work harder than ever in the year ahead to win new investment,” Mary Buckley added.

“Our FDI base of companies is also subject to these headwinds. IDA will remain close to our clients at this time of uncertainty and support them as companies review their global cost base to remain competitive.”

She added that in the face of such uncertainty, growth is likely to be slower in the latter half of 2023, as companies adopt a more cautious approach.

More than half of the 242 new FDI investments won by Ireland in 2022 went to regional locations, the IDA has said.

Information and Communications Services saw a 9% increase in total employment to 116,192 jobs, up 8% 105,199 in modern manufacturing, 5.6% in traditional manufacturing to 23,658, and up 9% to 56,426 in business, financial and other services.

Planning permission granted for Ballinasloe housing estate

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December 31, 2022

Galway Daily news Galway County Council has granted planning permission for a housing development in Headford

Galway County Council has approved plans for a residential development of 34 houses on the east side of Ballinasloe.

Leadlane (Ballinasloe) Ltd has been granted planning permission for a housing estate on Church Street/Dublin Road in the east Galway town.

This development will be located next to the existing Roscarn estate, and another permitted, but as yet unbuilt estate of 38 homes by the same developer.

Planning permission was granted for the project by the county council with 24 conditions attached.

The original application was for 36 houses, but the council ordered to houses removed from the plans to allow for additional landscaped open space on the south side of the esate.

The main other areas of communal green space will be located in the centre and north side of the estate according to the site layout plan.

Four of the houses will be provided to Galway County Council for social or affordable housing in order to adhere to Part V planning law requirements.

Leadlane must also pay a contribution of €136,123.65 to the county council towards the provision of public services for the area.

The housing in the estate will be a mix of semi-detached and terraced houses, and a total of 77 car parking spaces.

A number of homes along the southern boundary of the site were also redesigned from two-storey to single-storey houses in order to better assimilate with their surroundings.

ATU Languages Competition for secondary schools returns for 2nd year

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December 31, 2022

Galway Daily news ATU Languages Competition for secondary schools returns for 2nd year

Atlantic Technological University is once again running its language competition for secondary school students, after the great success of its first run in 2022.

This competition, run together with Languages Connect, is primarily aimed at transition year students who are studying French, German, or Spanish, however entries are welcome from all class groups.

Each entry will submit a short 1 to 2 minute video showcasing why they love to learn languages.

Entries will then be judged by the ATU languages lecturing team and prizes will be presented at a special event in ATU Galway City on Friday, April 21.

The winning videos will then be used to promote the study of languages at second and third level education on a national level.

This is the second year the ATU and Languages Connect have worked together to deliver this competition and it is expected to have an increased level of interest following the success of the competition in 2022.

Diarmuid Ó Conghaile, Head of Department for Languages & Humanities, ATU Galway City Campus said, “We are delighted to partner with Languages Connect to run this exciting competition again this year.”

“It was a huge success last year with schools entering from all over the country. The entries were varied and creative, and truly showcased the passion of the students for learning a language.”

“We had an amazing atmosphere at our awards ceremony last year with all of the finalists and accompanying teachers in attendance.”

He added that ATU, in teaching multiple foreign languages, recognises the importance of teaching students language skills to be better suit to a global economic community.

Nellie Tattersall, Project Officer with Languages Connect said, “We are delighted to fund this project under the Languages Connect awareness raising campaign.”

“This project enables ATU to connect with post-primary students and show them what subjects are on offer. We look forward to seeing the winning entries, and hope the competition encourages students to appreciate the benefits of learning foreign languages.”

Teachers of second level language classes (French, German, and Spanish) can enter the competition on behalf of the class group and respective school by emailing languagescompetition.galwaymayo@atu.ie or by visiting the website.

Entries for the competition close on February 24, and the winners in each language category will get to enjoy a full day culinary workshop in the traditional cuisine of that country.

President Higgins extends sympathies on passing of Pope Benedict XVI

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December 31, 2022

President Higgins extends sympathies to Catholics on passing of Pope Benedict XVI — Sympathies expressed on passing of former Pope Benedict XVI. Photo: WDKrause Derivate work: EeuHP, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

President Michael D. Higgins extended his sympathies to the family of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and Catholics globally, on the passing of the former pontiff today.

The Vatican announced the death of former Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday morning, shortly before 10am

President Higgins said that Benedict XVI will be remembered for his intellectual work, which was respected by both supporters and critics alike.

He also praised the Pope Emeritus for promoting peace, including in Northern Ireland, and highlighting the common purpose of major global religions.

Cardinal Joseph Aloysius Ratzinger was elected to the papacy after the death of John Paul II in 2005, and was known for being far more orthodox and conservative than both his predecessor, and successor.

He also received criticism for his handling of the child sex abuse scandal in Ireland and elsewhere.

While Benedict was harshly critical of how Ireland’s bishops handled allegations of child abuse, under his tenure the Vatican was not cooperative with civil authorities in investigating sexual abuse.

He resigned in 2013, the first Pope to do so in more than six centuries, and attributed his decision to health reasons.

In the years since then, he has largely stayed out of the public eye, before passing away at the age of 95 after battling illness.

President Higgins’ full statement reads:

“It is with sadness that Catholics around the world will have learned of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

At this time of the return of war on our continent and in so many areas of the world, he will be remembered for his untiring efforts to find a common path in promoting peace and goodwill throughout the world, including a steadfast interest in peace in Northern Ireland.

He will be remembered too for the value he attached to intellectual work and for the personal commitment he gave to such within the Roman Catholic Church, this work being respected by both supporters and critics.

Of particular importance was that during his tenure, Pope Benedict sought to highlight both the common purpose of the world’s major religions and his injunctions as to how our individual responsibilities as citizens require the highest standards of ethics in our actions.

May I extend my condolences to his family, to Pope Francis, to Archbishop Eamon Martin, to his friends and colleagues, and to all members of the Catholic faith both in Ireland and across the world.”

So you Shot your Son in Ros na Rún?

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December 31, 2022

Galway Daily television So you Shot your Son in Ros na Rún?

John Joe has to tell his son that he shot him, Caitríona finds a family connection in old bones, and Sonny is feeling the pressure in Ros na Rún.

John Joe is in a bit of an awkward position. I mean, how does he tell his son that he shot him.

For Sonny, feeling the pressure from all sides, this is an added complication. Will he turn John Joe in for what he did on his site?

Caitríona is curious about what happened to the remains found on Sonny’s site, and finds a family connection when she looks into the matter.

But uncovering the truth of the past here, will only lead Caitríona to another secret.

Greg is keen to go out with Michelle until Sorcha has a word in his ear.

Catch up on all the latest drama and intrigue in Ros na Rún in a double feature omnibus on TG4 this New Year’s Day.

Green light for new Lidl supermarket in Moycullen

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December 31, 2022