Plans for digital hub in long vacant Loughrea property

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June 22, 2021

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

The Department of Health has reported 294 new cases of COVID-19 this evening.

There are now just 39 people with COVID-19 in hospitals in the State. Of those, a third are in intensive care.

Health officials have said that the daily case numbers could change due to data validation.

No figures were provided for Galway today.

Family of long missing Barbara Walsh want to lay their mother to rest

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June 22, 2021

Galway Daily news Family of long missing Barbara Walsh want to lay their mother to rest

The family of Barbara Walsh, who went missing in Carna 36 years ago today, have appealed for anyone who may know something to come forward so that they can lay their mother to rest.

Gardaí today made a renewed appeal for information regarding the disappearance of Barbara Walsh, who was last seen at her home in Rusheenamanagh, Carna in the early hours of June 22, 1985.

In particular An Garda Síochána are appealing to the wider Carna community for their assistance, and believe that individuals in this Gaeltacht community have information which may provide Barbara’s family with some answers.

On Friday June 21, 1985 Barbara held a party at her house in Rusheenamanagh in Carna. She was last seen at her home at 4am on June 22, 1985. Her family have not seen or heard from her since.

An Garda Síochána in Galway have been working closely with Barbara’s family over the years. Her children, siblings and extended family want to know what happened to her.

Detective Sergeant Colm Mac Donnachadha said that this is still a live investigation, and that they believe people in the community may have information that would be of assistance.

“Carna is a close-knit Gaeltacht community and we believe there are people in this community who may have information that can help our investigation.”

“We are appealing to the people in the community surrounding Rusheenamanagh to come forward with any piece of information however small and allow An Garda Síochána to evaluate its importance in unlocking this mystery”.

“We are conscious that we now live in a very different era to 1985 and now with that passage of time, people may feel more comfortable sharing information with us.”

Barbara’s daughter Jacqueline Walsh said “We know our mother did not leave us on the morning of June 22, 1985. Not knowing what has happened to her all these years has taken a significant toll on us all as a family.”

“We just want to know where she is so we can bring her home, and lay her to rest,” she added.

“We are appealing to anyone who has information – now is the time to come forward. We want our mother back, we want to know what happened on June 22, 1985, and we want that information to come to light, no matter what that might mean.”

Gardaí conducted a full review of the case in 2015, and a series of searches in the area around her home were carried out at the time with the assistance of the Garda Technical Bureau, a cadaver dog from the UK, and also a forensic anthropologist.

An Garda Síochána have also liaised with Interpol during the course of the investigation, and have not found any information that would indicate Barbara left the jurisdiction.

Gardaí say they will continue to act on any information received in order to find answers for Barbara’s family, who are desperate to finally find their mother.

Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers on 1800 250 025, Salthill Garda Station on 091-514720, any Garda Station, the confidential line 1800 666 111.

Challenge CC members to take on 555km cycle race for Down Syndrome Galway

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June 22, 2021

DONATE to the fundraiser for Down Syndrome Galway HERE!

MainPhoto — Eoin McGrath & Sean Duignan from Challenge Cycling Club with Alfie Newcombe and Eimear O'Connell.

Several members of the Challenge Cycling Club based in Oranmore are preparing to take on the gruelling Donegal Atlantic Way Ultra Race in aid of Down Syndrome Galway.

The annual race takes place on 2 July this year and involves covering over 555 kilometres non-stop in 24 hours.

Challenge CC chairperson Eoin McGrath along with Sean Duignan and other club members will take part in the race after the club announced it will partner with Down Syndrome Galway as their charity for the rest of 2021.

Donations are now being accepted through the official idonate fundraising page.

Eoin McGrath said that in recent months they have been made aware of the impact COVID-19 has had on some local charities and the struggles they face as they re-emerge from lockdown.

“Down Syndrome Galway is a small organisation providing vital services for children and young adults with Down Syndrome,” said Mr McGrath.

“They have a centre in Claregalway and have been forced to close their doors during lockdown.

“Having recently visited the Claregalway base and met some of the children and parents, I can see first-hand the great work done.”

Down Syndrome Galway provides information, support and friendship to people with Down syndrome and their families across Galway, working towards an improved quality of life for people with Down Syndrome.

The charity receives no state funding and relies solely on donations and fundraising events to keep its centres up and running.

The centres provide a range of vital services including occupational therapy, adult education courses, speech and language, mother and toddler groups, social groups for ages, and cinema nights.

The charity’s chairperson in Claregalway said: “To provide our vital services we rely solely on fundraising and all our normal events have not been able to go ahead.

“Our members have adapted and come up with new ideas and having a group like Challenge Cycling Club partner with us is fantastic.

“We are indebted to them and look forward to working with them.”

Pandemic unemployment numbers fall again in Galway

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June 22, 2021

Galway Daily news Four Galway community groups awarded funding for special transport vehicles

Another 1,465 people in Galway have come off the pandemic unemployment payment in the past week.

This week’s figures from the Department of Social Protection show 13,218 people in Galway in receipt of PUP, down from 14,683 last week.

Nationwide, the government is making €72 million in payments to just over 244,000 people still out of work due to COVID-19. In addition, approximately €1 million is being paid in PUP arrears this week.

From July 1, the PUP scheme will be closed to new entrants, and people who lose their job after that point will instead be directed to jobseekers or other pre-pandemic unemployment schemes.

It is currently expected that the pandemic unemployment payment scheme will be gradually wound down from September, with a reduction in rates starting from September 7.

Commenting on today’s figures, Minister Heather Humphreys said that this is the first time this year that the number of people on PUP has fallen below 250,000, and the lowest number since last October.

“This clearly demonstrates that Ireland is re-opening its economy successfully and I want to pay tribute to both workers and employers for the role they are playing.”

“It is very encouraging to see businesses re-open and employees returning to work, in particular in the accommodation and food services sector.”

While the accommodation and food services sector still has the largest share of people on PUP at 64,675, it also saw the largest decline in the past week, with 12,705 fewer people receiving the payment compared to last week.

This is followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade with 2,429 fewer people receiving the payment compared to last week, and the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector, which saw a decline of 1,285.

The PUP figures published today are in addition to the 171,699 people who were on the Live Register at the end of May.

Dublin remains the county with the highest number of people who are receiving the pandemic unemployment payment this week at 87,416, followed by Cork (22,532) and Galway.

Four Galway students to visit Austria for prestigious International Summer Academy

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June 22, 2021

Screenshot 2021-06-21 21.22.24 — NUI Galway students Emma Urquhart and Aoife Prendergast from Galway

Four NUI Galway students are preparing to visit Austria next month to participate in the International Summer Academy in Engineering for Women.

Computer Science student, Emma Urquuhart from Co. Galway, and Engineering students, Niamh Hennigan from Co. Clare, Aoife Roche from Co. Wexford, and Aoife Prendergast from Co. Galway, were awarded scholarships to attend the academy last year – but their plans were put on hold due to the global pandemic.

NUI Galway has put in place rigorous travel arrangements, meaning the students are able to travel to the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in July to attend the academy.

The Academy, offered to only 30 female students from 15 different countries, is a two-and-a-half-week programme combining theory with hands-on practical experience in engineering, informatics and natural sciences.

Mary Dempsey, Vice Dean in the College of Science and Engineering at NUI Galway, said that while students have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in adapting to remote learning over the last 15 months, peer learning opportunities have been limited.

“Following a rigorous outgoing mobility assessment process, Emma, Aoife, Niamh and Aoife will be the first Science and Engineering students from NUI Galway to travel abroad for study since 2020,” said Mary Dempsey.

“They will have an opportunity to work with other students in STEM fields, broaden their technical and scientific knowledge and once again experience learning in a collegiate environment.”

Computer Science student, Emma Urquuhart said: “We are really looking forward to embarking on our trip to Upper Austria to participate in the Summer Academy.

“After our initial applications to the Academy was accepted, we completed outward mobility assessments in NUI Galway to ensure that we are prepared for our first foreign excursion since the beginning of the pandemic.

“We are eager to embrace this opportunity to broaden our knowledge of our respective fields of study, and hope to learn about how different areas of engineering can complement each other through the teamwork projects and variety of workshops we will be partaking in.

“The unique cultural experience will undoubtedly be a highlight of the trip for us. We are excited to explore the region of Wels, make friends from different countries and gain new perspectives on engineering on the global scale.

“We appreciate the support of the scholarships and are very grateful to NUI Galway for granting us this wonderful opportunity.”

Call for increased funding for Local Improvement Scheme

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June 22, 2021

galway daily news road sean canney call for funding country road in galway

A Galway TD has called on the Government to increase the amount of funding for the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) to deal with the volume of applications received.

Independent TD Seán Canney said that Galway County Council have a total of 237 valid applications with a total estimated cost of €10.8 million.

“This year the Council allocation is €876,952 which equates to 28 roads being facilitated out the 237 applications. This funding represents less than 10% of the amount needed,” the East Galway TD said.

He said that the LIS scheme is a very good system of surfacing roads that are not in charge of the Council and in many cases these roads are valuable local amenities servicing land and bogs.

“They also act as a facility for safe walking and cycling as part of the active travel programme.

“I am calling on the Department of Transport to support the scheme as initiated by the Department of Rural and Community Development of making additional funding available for this scheme to meet the demand.”

Four-day work week trial launched today

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June 22, 2021

galway daily news laptop working from home remote working sun freedom

A new pilot programme has been launched for employers to trial a four-day week for their organisation.

The programme will see employers introducing a four-day week for their workers over a six-month period starting in January 2022.

Four Day Week Ireland, the campaign behind the programme, believes that a four-day week can deliver positive results for business and provide the work-life balance employees want post-COVID.

Commenting today, Joe O’Connor, Chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland campaign, said that the last year has brought radical shifts in our working practices.

“More flexible ways of working are here to stay,” said Mr O’Connor.

He said that this year has also given people a chance to reflect on what they value most, and how they want to manage their working lives, so now is absolutely the right time to rethink, review and change the way we do things, and move to a four-day week.

“We know from international research that a shorter working week doesn’t mean a loss in productivity – in many cases, it is the opposite.

“The launch of the four-day week pilot programme represents an exciting moment of change for employers and employees, and it’s up to the business community now to show that they are willing to lead and support this change for the better.”

As part of the trial, the Government has announced it will fund a research partnership to assess the economic, social, and environmental impacts of a four-day working week in an Irish context.

The researchers will look at the impact of a shorter working week on private sector companies and public sector employers as they pilot a four-day week over six months.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar echoed Joe O’Connor, saying that the pandemic has caused us to rethink and re-evaluate how we work.

“It’s been shown that huge numbers of people can be just as productive while working at home rather than having to come into the office every day and it has accelerated the shift towards more flexible and family-friendly working hours,” said the Tánaiste.

He said however that it is too early to say whether a four-day working week could work in Ireland.

“The idea is ambitious, to achieve the same outcomes and productivity, for the same pay with 20% fewer hours worked.

“I can see how that might work for some roles but it’s hard to see how it would work in others particularly in health, education and manufacturing for example. But we need to keep an open mind when it comes to innovations in the world of work.

“Ideas like annual leave, maternity and paternity leave and flexitime were once seen to be radical and are now the norm. This research being commissioned by the government will give us a much greater understanding of the potential of this idea and that’s why the department has agreed to co-sponsor it.”

NUIG joins EU partners on preparing for a future pandemic

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June 22, 2021

NUI Galway is joining partner institutes across the European Union in an initiative that aims to prepare the continent for dealing with the next pandemic.

The two year, Irish led PANDEM-2 project aims to help future proof the EU against the next potential pandemic by increasing the cross-border capacity of member states to respond together.

The project, which has been awarded €10m in EU funding, will develop IT systems and processes for improved EU wide responses and management of critical resources such as hospital beds, PPE and vaccines during pandemics.

PANDEM-2 is one of ten projects in the EU wide PREPARE Cluster, which aims to help Europe to be ready for future pandemics.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for cross border collaboration in dealing with global health threats in an increasingly interconnected world, and these projects are supposed to help governments and agencies improve joint policies and the sharing of information.

Other projects involved in the PREPARE Cluster include CO-VERSATILE, which aims to ensure that the Manufacturing sector is able to boost production of vital medical equipment when its needed, similar to EUR3KA, which aims to repurpose manufacturing potential for medical equipment.

COVINFORM will analyse COVID-19 responses at the government, public health, and community level across Europe to create better policy guidance, while PERISCOPE aims to explore the impact socio-economic and behavioural impact the pandemic has had on people.

Professor Máire Connolly of NUIG, co-ordinator of PANDEM-2, said “We are delighted to be a part of the PREPARE cluster and working with so many excellent projects supported by the EU.”

“COVID-19 has had a devastating economic, social and health impact on countries worldwide and we must adopt a collective approach in our response strategy to future crises.”

“We look forward to will exploring synergies, research opportunities and delivering joint activities to to ensure Europe is better prepared for the next pandemic.”

The ten projects which make up the full PREPARE Cluster have received a total of €72 million in funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.

William Freeney Commemoration to be held in Athenry

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June 22, 2021

william freeney athenry derrydonnelly IRA Sinn Féin commemoration

Athenry Sinn Féin will hold a commemoration this Sunday 27 June to mark the 100thanniversary of the death of IRA Captain William Freeney.

The event will take place at 3pm on Sunday in Teampeal Geal Cemetery in Derrydonnell.

IRA Captain William Freeney from Derrydonnell died on active service in Athenry in June 1921.

Louis O’Hara will chair the commemoration and the main oration will be given by Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell.

COVID-19: 284 new cases reported today

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June 21, 2021

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

The Department of Health has reported 284 new coronavirus cases in the Republic.

There are 53 people diagnosed with the virus in hospitals across the country, of whom 13 are in intensive care.

Today’s ICU figures are the lowest since September 15 – 279 days ago.

No figures were provided by health officials for Galway today and the Department of Health says that the daily figures could change as data is validated and updated.

Speaking on RTÉ News at One today, the HSE’s lead on the vaccine rollout programme said that people aged between 30 and 40 can expect to have received their second dose of a COVID vaccine between July and August.

He expects people in their 20s to be fully vaccinated by the end of September, should supply remain steady.

People in their 20s will be fully vaccinated by September – HSE

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June 21, 2021

galway daily news Vaccine booster clinic continuing today for people in their 50s

People in their 20s can expect to receive the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine by the end of September, the head of the HSE’s head of the vaccine roll-out programme Damien McCallion has said.

People aged 38 can now apply for their vaccine from today, and Mr McCallion said that people in their 30s can expect to get their appointments over the next three weeks.

Speaking on RTÉ News at One today, he said that people aged between 30 and 40 can expect to have received their second dose between July and August, while people in their 20s will have to wait until September to be fully vaccinated.

“We’ve had a lot of speed bumps along the road with vaccination programs in terms of supply, but we are seeing more stability – we’re in a very particularly busy period,” said Damien McCallion.

“Last week we had our biggest week ever in terms of vaccinations with over 340,000, we expect to be over 300,000 again this week, next week and the following week, hopefully again supply permitting.”

Potato blight warning issued for Galway this week

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June 21, 2021

Galway daily news Teagasc Clinic on Transferring the Family Farm in Gort tomorrow

Met Eireann has issued a warning for weather conditions that will increase the risk of potato blight in Galway in the mid-week.

The status yellow environmental warning states that conditions in western and northwestern counties on Wednesday evening through to Thursday carry a risk of blight.

The warning issued by Met Eireann applies to counties Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo.

Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to hit the high teens on Wednesday, and rain is also forecast through the day.

Potato blight is caused by a fungus called Phytophthora infestans that spreads through the air and thrives in humid weather.

Its symptoms include patches of brown freckles on leaves with a yellowish border, dark patches on tubers, and potatoes rotting into soggy masses.

NUIG Students’ Union records huge levels of engagement during ‘pandemic year’

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June 21, 2021

galway daily nuig students union random acts of kindness — Pádraic Toomey, Faye McDonnell, Róisín Nic Lochlainn, Neasa Gorrell and Emma Sweeney at launch of RAK Challenge in November

NUI Galway Students’ Union saw record levels of engagement by students throughout the 2020/21 academic year despite the challenges of the pandemic.

The Students’ Union’s annual report shows huge numbers of students signed up to be class representatives, attended online events and raised funds for charity.

Over 400 people signed up to take part in the Charity Challenge, raising €13,000 for Galway charities over six months.

Some 600 students volunteered to become class reps to act as the voice of their class and voter turnout increased for the SU Elections which again were held online.

NUI Galway students also led the way in campaigns dealing with issues such as making education more affordable, sustainability, mental health and diversity.

“It has been a great honor to lead NUI Galway Students’ Union as President for 2020/2021,” said Students’ Union President Pádraic Toomey.

“This ‘pandemic year’ brought brand new challenges and opportunities that we haven’t had before.

“The Union shone out as an adaptable and dynamic representative body that ensures the student voice is always heard.”

Students’ Union Vice-President/Education Officer Emma Sweeney added: “In what has been a very stressful academic year it’s great that the students of NUI Galway have been so engaged with the Union.

“Our SU Officers, Class Reps and Volunteers have worked tirelessly this year to help the entire NUI Galway community to get through this together.”

11 Galway schools to receive funding for better walking and cycling routes

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June 21, 2021

Galway Daily news Oranmore active travel

Eleven schools in Galway have been selected in first round of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme which will improve walking and cycling routes to primary and secondary schools.

The improvements will range from better footpaths and new cycle lanes to a complete reworking of the road outside a school’s entrance.

Cycle and scooter parking will be provided to most schools that are part of the programme.

In the city, Galway Educate Together NS, Scoil Chaitríona Junior, Scoil Iognaid and St. Joseph’s Special School are to receive funding through the programme.

In Galway County, the selected schools are: Athenry Boys National School; Calasanctius College, Oranmore; Gaelscoil de hÍde Ard na Mara, Oranmore; Scoil Bhaile Nua in Moycullen; Scoil Chroí Naofa Athenry; Scoil Iósaif Naofa, Oramore; and St. Paul’s Secondary School in Oughterard.

Minister of State and Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton said that the level of interest in this scheme has been really positive.

While we’re not in a position to fund projects for each of the 931 schools in 2021, a provisional multi-annual programme has been created which can allow for a rolling programme to facilitate all schools that applied,” said Minister Naughton.

“This means that when work is completed at one school, a new school from the list can be added to the programme.

“In other words our plan is that all schools that have applied will, over time, receive investment.

“We want this to be the first year of a rolling fund that will continue well into the future so that we can get around to everybody.”

Gardaí making renewed appeal on Carna woman missing since 1985

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June 21, 2021

Galway Daily news missing teen found safe

Gardaí are making a renewed appeal for information on the disappearance of Barbara Walsh, who went missing in Carna in 1985.

Walsh, who was 33 at the time of her disappearance, was last seen at her home in Rusheenamanagh, Carna at on June 22, 1985.

A group of people had come back to her house after a social gathering at a local pub, and she was last seen in the early hours of the morning.

The case came to renewed attention in 2015 when then Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan ordered a review of the case following an appeal by Walsh’s family.

In a renewed bid for anyone who may have information on this missing persons case to come forward, Gardaí and the Walsh family will be holding a briefing on Tuesday morning in Carna.

At the media briefing taking place at 11am on Tuesday at Acadamh NUIGin Carna, Investigators will make an appeal for information, and a member of the Walsh family will make a statement.

Last year, Barbara’s daughter Catjerine Ui Chongaile made a personal appeal on the 35th anniversary of her disappearance, asking for anyone who may know something to contact Gardaí, so that their family can have closure.

2020 Sleep Out for Simon was charity’s most successful ever

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June 21, 2021

Galway Daily news 2020 Sleep Out for Simon was charity's most successful ever

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the 2020 Sleep Out for Simon was the most successful to date, raising €137k for the Galway Simon Community.

The Sleep Out for Simon event went virtual last October, due to the prohibition on large gatherings, with participants prompted up their bed for one night to sleep in their back gardens, on doorsteps, trampolines, garden sheds and office carparks in support of those facing homelessness.

More than 200 people took part in the event, with the virtual format enabling it to be more inclusive than ever. Groups taking part included schools from Montessori to Secondary level, choirs, scout groups, sports clubs, businesses, and more.

It was also more widespread than ever before with families, friends, colleagues and teammates taking part in communities’ right across the West, as well as in places as far away as Shanghai, Vancouver, and Seoul.

Amy Lavelle of the Galway Simon Community said that she humbled by the level of support shown by the participants and public on that night.

“We were absolutely blown away by the level of support we received for our first ever Virtual Sleep Out. One of the greatest benefits of hosting the event virtually was the ability to make it more inclusive than ever before”.

“It really was inspiring to see so many people from all across the West, and further afield, rising to the challenge to help raise awareness and funds for those facing homelessness during such a critical time of need.

“We’re particularly grateful to our local team leaders for rallying up support and for helping to showcase the true sense of community that we are lucky to have here in the West.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic there has been growing pressure on Galway Simon’s frontline housing and homelessness teams.

The charity’s income has been severely impacted with the cost of running their services continuing to increase as they respond to the Coronavirus crisis, and their finances remain under significant pressure.

The €137,205 raised by the Sleep Out for Simon event will be used to assist more than 500 individuals and families facing homelessness in the West of Ireland.

The projects set to benefit from the funds include the running cost of Galway Simon’s Resource Centre in Ballinasloe, the fit out of 12 new homes, the charity’s Essentials Fund which supports those at risk of losing their homes with essential household costs at a time of crisis, as well as vital counselling and occupational therapy services for young adults.

CEO of Galway Simon Community Karen Golden said that this pressure has continued to grow, with a 19% increase in the number of people they are supporting between January and March of this year, compared with 2020.

“Our concern is that this may be the start of a worrying trend and that the number of people experiencing homelessness will continue to rise as we start to see the effects of the Covid-19 restrictions and measures such as the moratorium on evictions being lifted.”

When asked about what they enjoyed most about taking part, one participant said, “Luckily the evening was beautiful and we set up tents in the garden and had a campfire.”

“Lovely family memories were made as well as making the children aware of how lucky we were to be able to move inside when it got so cold later”.

Another participant said, “The feeling of togetherness and knowing what your doing is doing so much for somebody out there”.

Eircom submits plans for Ballinasloe mobile tower

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June 21, 2021

Galway Daily news Planning refused again for Galway City mobile tower

Plans have been submitted to the county council to erect a mobile telecoms tower on the grounds of Ballinasloe GAA club to improve mobile and data coverage in the area.

Eircom is seeking planning permission to remove a 15m floodlight pole next to the club house of the GAA club, and erect a 18m high telecoms tower in its place. This will carry antennae, one dish, and a replacement floodlight.

The monopole tower would serve Eir mobile in the area, and would also have room for one other operator.

The planning application states that there will be minimal visual impact, as the tower will replace an existing floodlight.

Ballinasloe GAA club have given their consent for Eircom to make the planning application for construction on their land at Brackenagh, Ballinasloe.

One submission has been made to the county council about this application on behalf Cignal Infrastructure, noting that operate a multi-lattice telecoms tower at Poolboy Business Park 1.2km away from this proposed site.

In a response to this submission, Eircom said that they are one of the operators with equipment on that 24m tower, and plan to remain, but that there are blackspots in their coverage in Ballinasloe West which need to be addressed.

The planning application states that this tower is needed to provide mobile and date coverage for the Eir mobile network in Ballinasloe town, as well as to homes in the townlands of Dunlo and Brackenagh, and surrounding rural areas.

Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by July 8.

Ireland is losing ground on aviation says Galway senator

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June 20, 2021

Galway Daily news flight cancellation cancelled Government backs credit note refund for Irish travel agent and tour operator holidays

Ireland is losing ground on all fronts on aviation and the Government must act to protect this vital national interest, a Galway senator has said.

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Seán Kyne said that late 2019 seems like a different world when the then Government was able to buy the Connemara airport for the PSO service to the Aran Islands.

“Little did anyone think we would see the collapse in the aviation sector across the world even a few months after that,” the Fine Gael senator said.

Senator Kyne said that having spoken with senior management in US-based multinationals in Galway, he acknowledges that the present status of the aviation sector is of concern to them.

“The view is that we are being left behind compared to other countries. One commented that we need to be more in step with other countries.

“Another commented that competitor countries are back operating international travel. I am concerned about the impact on businesses supported by foreign direct investment, FDI, the impact on the hugely important tourism industry, particularly from Shannon Airport and Ireland West Airport Knock, the hundreds of jobs in aviation across the regions, the wider impact on connectivity and the increasing peripherality due to the collapse in the sector, and the loss of opportunity of new investment.

“IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and University Hospital Galway, in my own region, depend on connectivity internationally,” he said.

Senator Kyne called for a debate on aviation, which will take place on Monday.

“We need to look at antigen testing, how it is being used in other countries, how it is being used internationally, how it is benefiting other countries and why it is not being deemed to be a runner in this country, he added.

“It is broader than the two Ministers for transport. There needs to be a whole-of-government debate on the sector, on the impact on jobs, on the impact on tourism and on the impact on every sector and every region.”

Plans for restaurant & bakery in vacant Salthill property

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June 20, 2021