One dead, four injured following horrific car crash

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December 27, 2021

galway daily news Spring vaccination campaign

Walk-in vaccination clinics for people in their 30s and 40s to get booster shots are continuing at Ballybrit Racecourse this week.

The centre is also holding walk-in clinics for healthcare workers to get booster shots, as well as for initial dose 1 and dose 2 vaccination.

This Tuesday, December 28 another clinic for people aged 40 and over to get their booster dose without needing an appointment will run from 8:30am to 5pm.

On Wednesday, booster clinics will open to people in their 30s for the first time, running from 8:30am to 12pm that first day.

People aged in their 30s will also be able to go get a booster shot this Thursday, December 30 from 8:30am to 7pm.

Booster shots for Healthcare Workers, as well as 1st and 2nd doses for people still getting their initial vaccination, will be available from 8:30am to 7pm on Tuesday, and 8am to 12pm on Wednesday.

They are currently no walk-in clinics scheduled for Ballybrit Racecourse over New Year’s Eve or Day.

Plans in the works for 167 homes in Ballinasloe

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December 27, 2021

Galway Daily news Planning appeal over 91 houses & apartments in Athenry

Plans are in their early stages for the construction of 167 homes in Ballinasloe.

Limehill Esker Limited is seeking approval to proceed with a Strategic Housing Development application at Dunlo Ballinasloe.

The housing development would comprise 56 houses and 111 apartments, along with associated site works.

The development is currently at the consultation stage with An Bord Pleanála, where the bord and county council will decided if the initial plans meet the SHD criteria for an application.

This is one of the last pre-planning SHD applications lodged with the higher planning authority under the legislation which is now being phased out.

This application was lodged on December 16, one day before the cut-off point for the SHD system.

The Strategic Housing Development system was introduced to allow applications for large scale residential developments to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála.

While meant to fast-track housing construction by bypassing the local authority, the system resulted in an uptick in judicial reviews being sought of planning approvals.

An Bord Pleanála is due to rule whether this can proceed to a full planning application, or if the plans require further amendment, by February 25.

Drogheda striker Jordan Adeyemo joins Galway United

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December 27, 2021

Galway Daily sport Drogheda striker Jordan Adeyemo joins Galway United

The impressive young striker Jordan Adeyemo has been announced as the latest addition to the Galway United squad for the coming season.

The 21 year old is making the move west after an impressive scoring run with Drogheda United.

Speaking with Galway United’s media team at Eamonn Deacy Park last week, he said that joining Galway is a “big opportunity” that he felt he had to take.

Moving into full-time football was also something that he said he has always wanted to do.

Adeyemo came up through the academies of both Shelbourne and Drogheda United, and showcased his potential as a striker with the U19 Drogheda side in 2019, scoring 18 goals in the league that year.

This brought him up to the main team, where he appeared 20 times in the 2021 Premiere Division season, with five goal contributions.

Moving to Galway also means stepping down to the First Division, but Adeyemo said that he thinks United have a good shot at correcting that.

“From looking at it, I think that Galway are a big club and obviously they finished second last year, just cut short through the playoff game against Bray. So they were unlucky not to get promoted.”

“This season I think it’s a great opportunity for them to do well and possibly get themselves back up to the Premier Division.”

But he said that he’ll be focused on just doing his job with the team, which is helping to score goals first and foremost.

COVID-19: Another 6,735 cases reported today

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December 27, 2021

Galway Daily news 25 percent drop in COVID cases in Galway hospitals

There have been a further 6,735 cases of COVID-19 reported by health officials today, significantly down from the numbers of the past three days.

As of this morning the number of people hospitalised with COVID stood at 461 nationwide.

Of these patients 91 are in serious condition and are being treated in intensive care units.

For the three days from Christmas Eve to St. Stephen’s Day there were over 10,000 cases each day, with Christmas Day seeing the highest single day total of the pandemic in Ireland.

There have been 231,606 laboratory tests carried out in the country in the past week, with positive results jumping to 27%.

The COVID-19 data hub provides information on the key indicators of the disease in the community, though some will not be regularly updated over the Christmas period.

There has been extremely high demand for testing across the country in the past few days, and vaccination centres are also back to work from today.

Met Eireann warns of flooding risk as weather advisory issued

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December 27, 2021

All of Ireland is being placed under a weather advisory this week, as Met Eireann has warned that further flooding is possible.

The forecaster has warned that from Monday night onwards there will be spells of heavy rain, possibly causing localised flooding due to already waterlogged ground.

This weather advisory, which is not yet at the level of county specific weather warnings, will be in effect until midnight on Friday.

“This week across Ireland from Monday night onwards, spells of rain, which will be heavy at times, coupled with already saturated soils, may lead to localised flooding,” Met Eireann said.

Wexford was particularly badly hit by terrible flooding on Christmas Day, which saw many homes evacuated by the Coast Guard and RNLI in lifeboats and Rescue helicopters.

Galway is only forecast to receive some light rain on Monday, turning persistent in places overnight, but clearing up from Tuesday morning.

Further spells of at times heavy rain are forecast for the county early Wednesday and on Thursday evening.

People urged to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to Oxfam

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December 27, 2021

galway daily news presents baby bank christmas

Oxfam Ireland has called on people to donate their unwanted Christmas gifts when Oxfam shops reopen tomorrow, Tuesday.

Unpopular or duplicate Christmas gifts can be resold at Oxfam stores around the country to help raise vital funds for their life-saving work worldwide in 2022.

A survey commissioned by the charity in recent years revealed that 83% of adults receive an unwanted gift on Christmas morning.

Oxfam Ireland are welcoming the donation of these unwanted gifts to one of their 46 stores across the island of Ireland.

Items accepted for donation include clothes, beauty products, books, gadgets and jewellery, as well as bags and accessories, CDs, DVDs, homewares, soft furnishings, furniture (selected Oxfam shops only) and even wedding dresses.

The sale of these items will raise funds for Oxfam’s programmes, including ongoing emergency responses, as well as long-term projects that lift people out of poverty and campaigning that gives a voice to the vulnerable.

The charity’s Director of Trading Trevor Anderson appealed to the generosity of people this Christmas to donate their unwanted presents.

“Maybe Santa didn’t bring exactly what was on your Christmas list, but your donation could help could feed an orphaned child or struggling family,” he said.

“It only takes a moment to drop your unwanted gift into one of our stores but it could change a life forever.

“With 8 out of 10 adults receiving an unwanted gift on Christmas morning, we can help you find a new home for that gift. We’re asking you to think twice before you push that unwanted gift to the back of the wardrobe.

“No matter how small, your donation will help us to continue our vital work into 2022.”

How donations can help save lives

The sale of an unwanted top for €8/£6 could help purify around 2,000 litres of water, making it safe to drink for South Sudanese families living in makeshift camps.

The sale of an unopened cosmetics set sold for €15/£11 could give a family in the Democratic Republic of Congo an eco-friendly efficient stove, designed to be hotter than traditional cooking methods while using only half the wood.

That gift of a necklace that just isn’t to your taste sold for €30/£24 could feed a child orphaned by AIDS in Malawi for three and a half months.

Find a full list of Oxfam stores here.

Govt must ensure workers are incentivised to return to work – TD

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December 27, 2021

Galway East TD Seán Canney has called on the Government to ensure that workers are incentivised to return to the workforce.

The Independent TD said that people on Jobseekers need to have an increase in their take home pay if they are to be available to work.

“Issues such as the loss of medical cards, enhanced child benefit, PRSI pates and social housing thresholds all contribute as disincentives to people joining the works force,” said Deputy Canney.

“We need to make work pay for people. Employers need to have access to a workforce and right now it is virtually impossible to get workers.”

Deputy Canney said that all sectors are under pressure to find workers in construction, homecare, hospitality and transport to meet current demand.

“There is an opportunity to address these difficulties by adjusting the PRSI for people between €18 to €22,000, increasing income threshold for medical cards and social housing and allowing the continuation of enhanced child benefit for the first two years of employment for people giving up jobseekers and taking up employment.”

Galway Simon reports significant increase in people at risk of homelessness

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December 27, 2021

Homelessness and housing charity Galway Simon Community has expressed concerns about the number of people at risk of homelessness throughout 2021.

The charity said that over half of those supported by the charity this year were at risk of homelessness, staying in “very precarious situations” including temporary accommodation and insecure or unaffordable housing in the private rental market.

The vast majority of these households are not included in the monthly homelessness figures, the charity said.

As lockdowns and the moratorium on evictions lifted throughout the year, Galway Simon Community saw a significant increase in the number of families and individuals at risk of homelessness, with their latest figures showing a 35% increase in the number of people supported through their Homelessness Prevention Services alone compared to last year.

Karen Golden, CEO of Galway Simon Community, said the charity’s prevention work has never been so important.

“2021 was another extremely challenging year for Galway Simon Community. With the easing of Covid restrictions, we expected to see an increase in homelessness,” said Karen.

“However, the reality has been even more stark than anticipated. With the ongoing shortage of housing and increases in average rents, people who receive a notice to quit (NTQ) are finding it extremely difficult to find alternative secure and affordable accommodation.

“Throughout the year, we saw increasing pressure across our services, and in particular our Homelessness Prevention Services, due to the increasing number of people at risk of homelessness.”

Karen said that the impact of the housing crisis, combined with the Covid-19 pandemic, has created incredibly challenging circumstances in the West. More people than ever before, including those who never thought they would need our support, are turning to Galway Simon Community for help.”

Despite the challenges in 2021, Galway Simon’s frontline services provided extensive support to people facing homelessness.

The charity’s teams supported 100 individuals and families to find and resettle into new homes, and many more were prevented from having to access emergency accommodation or homeless services.

Galway Simon also responded to the increasing number of young adults at risk of and experiencing homelessness, supporting 33% more 18-25 year olds than in the previous year.

“Throughout 2021, we continued our work to prevent homelessness in our community. This is particularly crucial with young adults as providing holistic and targeted supports at this influential stage in their lives can help to prevent entrenched or cyclical homelessness later,” Karen added.

In addition to its prevention work, Galway Simon Community also provided Emergency, Transitional Accommodation and Supported Housing in 2021. The charity provided shelter and accommodation for 169 households to the end of November.

Paying tribute to those who supported the organisation in 2021, Karen Golden said that “none of our work would have been possible without our incredibly kind supporters and volunteers.”

“The support we received from across the West and beyond in 2021 was deeply appreciated.

“We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to those who supported Galway Simon Community in 2021 and helped us to prevent people from experiencing the trauma of homelessness.”

Karen said that they deliver their services recognising that the lack of a home is an ordeal for people, and this makes it really difficult to thrive as a person.

This in turn has such negative knock on effects for people’s health and well-being, she said.

“Where it is families with young children, the knock on effects can last for years. It is really important to do everything possible to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.

“To the end of November Galway Simon had supported 789 households, made up of 917 adults and 551 children. As we come to the end of another extremely difficult year and look forward to 2022, we remain very concerned about the combined effects that the housing and homelessness crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic are continuing to have on people across the West of Ireland.

“Homelessness is a serious issue that has a devastating impact on people in our community.

“Our teams at Galway Simon will remain focused on preventing as many people as possible from experiencing the trauma of homelessness and working towards our vision where everyone has a place to call home.”

Weather warning for dense fog in place this morning

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December 27, 2021

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

A status yellow weather warning for fog issued by Met Éireann will remain in place throughout this morning.

The warning for dense fog was issued yesterday and affects 11 other counties: Cavan, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, and Westmeath.

The warning will be lifted at 12pm today and some bright or sunny spells may then develop in Galway.

Met Éireann say that it will be mostly dry for the morning and afternoon but outbreaks of light rain and drizzle will develop in the evening.

Highest temperatures will be 6 to 8 degrees with a light to moderate easterly wind.

Tonight will begin cloudy with outbreaks of rain and the rain will turn more persistent as the night goes on, and it will become blustery too, with fresh to strong westerly winds developing. Lowest temperatures will be between 2 to 5 degrees in Connacht.

COVID-19: Hospital numbers remain steady in Galway

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December 27, 2021

The number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in Galway has remained relatively steady over the weekend despite the spike in new cases reported over the past week.

On Sunday night, 16 confirmed cases were receiving care at University Hospital Galway and there were six people with the disease at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

One COVID patient at UHG was in the intensive care unit, while two of the six cases at Portiuncula Hospital were receiving critical care.

UHG had the most free ICU beds in the country on Sunday night (five) but there were no available ICU beds at Portiuncula Hospital.

Health officials reported a further 10,404 cases of COVID-19 yesterday as Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan urged people not to socialise with people from other households indoors.

“It is important that all of us continue to reduce our contacts and avoid crowded places, to the greatest extent possible, as we see the Omicron variant become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in Ireland,” he said.

COVID-19: 10,404 cases reported today

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December 26, 2021

Galway Daily news Galway hospitals see COVID cases double in recent weeks

There have been a further 10,404 cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.

As of this morning there were 426 people in the country hospitalised with the virus, 91 of whom are in the ICU.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said “It is important that all of us continue to reduce our contacts and avoid crowded places, to the greatest extent possible, as we see the Omicron variant become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in Ireland.”

“We know that this variant is more transmissible than even the highly transmissible Delta variant. As such, please do not socialise or meet indoors with people from other households.”

“If you are yet to receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine, then you should take every measure you can to protect yourself until you are eligible to receive it.”

“This includes avoiding risky environments and keeping your contacts as low as possible. All of the available evidence indicates that a booster vaccine will offer good protection against infection with the Omicron variant.”

He also said that people should avoid crowded places like retail environments, and that people should shop online where possible.

Planning permission sought for 101 apartments in Oranmore

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December 26, 2021

Galway Daily news Planning refused for 101 apartments in Oranmore

Planning permission is being sought for a housing development in Oranmore consisting of 101 apartments.

Torca Construction Limited has submitted a Strategic Housing Development application to An Bord Pleanála for construction on a 3.4ha site Carrowmoneash, Oranmore, to the north east of the twon centre.

The development would consist of five blocks of apartments, three of which would be three storeys in height, and two of which would be four storeys.

The mix of housing sizes in the development would comprise 8 one-bedroom apartments, 59 two-bedroom units, and 34 three-bedroom units.

The creche would be located in a detached unit with a total floor space of 202sqm, along with an outdoor play area.

The apartment complex will have 133 car parking spaces, and a new access point onto the Carrowmoneash Road will be created.

The five blocks of apartments will be arranged in a U-shape around landscaped green space in the centre of the site.

In order to comply with the Part V requirements of planning law that 10% of residential units be reserved for social or affordable housing, Torca intends to transfer 11 apartments to Galway county council.

A Natura Impact Statement and Ecological Impact Assessment Report have been prepared for this planning application.

A Material Contravention Statement has also been prepared, arguing that the development should be approved despite exceeding the County Development Plan’s population allocation for Oranmore, as well as the housing density objective of the Oranmore Local Area Plan.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on this planning application by April 19 of next year.

This is one of a significant number of SHD projects which were put to An Bord Pleanála in the final week of the SHD legislation, which has now been replaced.

Under the Strategic Housing Development legislation, created in 2016, developers were able to bypass the local authority for housing projects above a certain size.

While it was meant to fast track housing construction, mostly it just resulted in a massive uptick in judicial reviews being sought, bogging developments down far longer.

IDA Ireland reports record year with over 500 jobs announced for Galway

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December 26, 2021

Galway saw more than 500 new jobs announced in 2021 among the key multinational projects in a record setting year for IDA Ireland.

The number of people in Ireland directly employed in multinational sector grew to 275,384 this year, the highest ever level reached by foreign direct investment.

That number is set to grow even higher in the coming years, with 249 major investments announced this year, 104 of them by companies new to Ireland.

Among the major investments announced in Galway are 100 new jobs at Genesys at its R&D Centre for Digital and Artificial Intelligence in Galway.

Integer announced that it will further expand its presence in Galway with the construction of a new Medical Device Innovation and Manufacturing facility, creating 200 jobs.

And global communications company Poly is also creating 200 highly skilled roles at its new EMEA Centre of Excellence in Galway.

The western region as a whole saw a 6.2 percent increase in the number of people employed by multinationals this year.

CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan said that these results were achieved despite an “immensely challenging and volatile international environment” this year.

“Ireland’s performance in attracting FDI to achieve these record results is testament to the work of the Agency’s teams in Ireland and around the world, to the success of the client companies that we partner with on a daily basis and to the support of government.”

“Looking at the period 2020/2021, despite the challenges faced by individual companies, to date FDI in Ireland has come through the pandemic relatively unscathed.”

“This is largely down to the sectors that IDA has targeted over the past decade – Technology, Pharma, Medical Technology, International Financial Services, Business services, Engineering and Food – those sectors that underpin a modern economy.”

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar added “These results are quite remarkable. In another year that was unfortunately mired by the pandemic, we saw the highest FDI employment creation figures we’ve ever had in a single year.”

“The success of our multinational sector has allowed us sustain other areas of our economy that are struggling. FDI is central to our economic policy and it will continue to be a crucial part of our plan to rebuild after COVID.”

Tom Daly commits to another two years with Connacht

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December 26, 2021

Galway Daily sport Tom Daly starting for Connacht after three month absence — Tom Daly. Photo Credit: INPHO

Tom Daly has put an end to any speculation about his place with Connacht with the announcement of a new two year contract.

The centre first came to Connacht in a loan deal in 2018, but quickly achieved a great place on the field, as well in the hearts of supporters and his fellow players.

The Carlow man made his move to the west permanent at the end of that season, and had even greater success in 2020/21.

That season he was named both the Connacht Rugby Players’ Player and Supporters’ Player of the Year.

Daly said that playing for Connacht has been the highlight of his career up to now, and praised the strong lineup of players and backroom management.

“There’s a really strong group of players and management who are all working together to succeed both in the URC and Champions Cup.”

“I’m thankful to Andy and the coaches who have shown trust in me and I can’t wait to play my part in achieving our aims in the years ahead.”

Though he has yet to be capped for Ireland, he was called up to the Ireland squad for the 2021 Summer Internationals.

Connacht Head Coach Andy Friend added “Tom is the perfect example of a player who has grabbed his playing opportunities with both hands.”

“I’ve been impressed by him ever since he joined on his loan deal in 2018, and then we all saw last season just how good of a player he’s become.”

“We’re all looking forward to seeing him continue his progression and help the squad to succeed over the next two years.”

Connacht v Ulster postponed due to COVID cases

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December 24, 2021

Galway Daily rugby Four changes made to starting XV for Connacht v Glasgow

The Ulster v Connacht United Rugby Championship fixture which was due to take place on St. Stephen’s Day has been postponed due to COVID.

A statement from Connacht Rugby today said that the match has been postponed due to positive cases in the Ulster squad.

“The game was due to take place on Sunday, 26^th December in Belfast, however, a number of positive Covid-19 cases within the Ulster Rugby squad have been reported by the province.”

“The URC Medical Advisory Group has liaised with Ulster Rugby and the local health authorities and deemed that the fixture cannot go ahead as scheduled.”

“The United Rugby Championship will now consider available dates to reschedule the game.”

Plans for 170 houses and apartments on city outskirts

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December 24, 2021

Galway Daily news Green light for new apartment complex in Rahoon

Plans are in the works for the construction of 170 houses and apartments in Castlegar.

Lock House Developments Limited is seeking to progress a Strategic Housing Development Application with An Bord Pleanála.

The project would involve building 84 houses and 86 apartments, along with a creche, at Bóthar na Chóiste, Castlegar.

The project is currently at the pre-planning application consultation stage, where the Board and relevant local authority, Galway City Council, will review whether the documentation submitted consists of a reasonable basis for an SHD application, or requires further amendment.

This is one of a significant number of SHD projects which have been put to An Bord Pleanála in the final week of the SHD legislation, which has now been replaced.

Under the Strategic Housing Development legislation, created in 2016, developers were able to bypass the local authority for housing projects above a certain size.

While it was meant to fast track housing construction, mostly it just resulted in a massive uptick in judicial reviews being sought, bogging developments down far longer.

An Bord Pleanála is due to decide by February 23 whether to allow this housing development to proceed to a planning application.

COVID-19: Cases spike as 11,182 reported today

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December 24, 2021

There have been 11,182 cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.

As of this morning there were 393 people in the country hospitalised with the virus, of whom 89 are in the ICU.

The Omicron variant has become extremely dominant in Ireland, with the Department saying that it is now responsible for an estimated 83% of cases.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that people should try and only meet with members of their own households in the next two to three weeks.

Coast Guard and RNLI make safety appeal to Christmas swimmers

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December 24, 2021

Galway Daily news Coast Guard and RNLI Christmas and New Year's safety appeal

The Irish Coast Guard and RNLI are appealing for people to be safe in any water based activities over the Christmas and New Year.

Along with the water safety measures which apply at any time, the two organisations are also reminding people to be mindful of the restrictions in place to deal with the COVID pandemic.

With many traditional Christmas and New Year swims cancelled, anybody planning this activity should check on the up-to-date guidance and ensure that they have made the appropriate safety arrangements.

Irish Coast Guard Operations Manager Micheál O’Toole said ‘We wish to say a special thank everybody involved in Search and Rescue for their commitment and service in these extraordinary times with a special thank you to the volunteer members of the rescue services.”

“For those who have an opportunity to go on coastal walks always remember to Stay Back Stay High Stay Dry – and this year please be especially mindful of Covid related restrictions.”

2021 proved to be a busy year for the Coast Guard and RNLI, with an almost 20% increase in callouts, placing extra demand on SAR providers.

With the increased levels of open water swimming, both organisations are highlighting the risks of cold water shock, which is a danger for anyone entering water 15°C or below.

Average sea temperature around Ireland at this time of year are between 6 and 10°C, which can pose a risk of hypothermia, even for the most experienced of open water swimmers.

Regional Lifesaving Lead with the RNLI Owen Medland added that “Our wish for everyone planning a trip to the coast or a festive swim is that they do so safely.”

“We urge everyone to be extra cautious and understand the risks and know how to stay safe before they enter the cold water. Follow the right advice for your activity and always carry a means of calling for help.”

“As we come to the end of the year, we would like to thank all those involved in search and rescue around the coast of Ireland and on inland waters.”

“These dedicated men and women, many of whom are volunteers, will remain on call over the Christmas period and New Year.”

Safety tips from the Coast Guard and the RNLI for open water swimming are:

Always check the weather forecast and understand the local effects of wind, tides, and currents. (For weather and tides see safetyonthewater.gov.ie)
Never swim alone and if possible, have somebody ashore who is familiar with your plans and can observe your progress.
Only swim in sheltered areas with which you are familiar and swim parallel to the shore.
Stay within your depth – know your limits including how long to stay in the water
Ensure that you are visible from the shore. Wear a brightly coloured swim cap or use a tow float to increase your visibility in the water.
Wearing a wetsuit is advisable to help stay warm.
Acclimatise to cold water slowly to reduce the risk of cold-water shock.
Get warmed up afterwards. Wrap up well in extra layers of clothing
If in doubt, don’t go out.
Tell someone else where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

If you see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast dial 112 or 999 or use Marine VHF radio CH 16 and ask for the Coast Guard.

Just 2 COVID patients receiving care at Portiuncula Hospital

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December 24, 2021