Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte has marked World Autism Day by announcing she will set up a working group to develop an Autism Innovation Strategy.
As Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte TD said that the strategy’s focus in the short-term will be to deliver real solutions to the challenges, needs and experiences of people with autism.
“This targeted approach will pinpoint priorities in a number of key areas that I, as Minister, will aim to address in the next three or four years,” said Minister Rabbitte.
“A clear pathway of supports need to be developed and I hope this can be achieved through the Autism Innovation Strategy.”
The Fianna Fáil TD added that the Autism Innovation Strategy will inevitably be cross departmental in nature as autism is not just an issue that needs to be addressed with health supports and a more holistic approach must be taken.
“There is an amazing opportunity for Ireland to become a leader across the EU and indeed the world on how to achieve a more autism-friendly country,” added Minister Rabbitte.
“It is my intention to set up an Autism Innovation Strategy Working Group, which will seek to develop this Strategy.
“I am committed to championing this in government and will chair this Working Group once established. I look forward to engaging with stakeholders in the months ahead.”
Gardaí dished out 103 fines to people in Galway for breaking COVID-19 restrictions during the last week in March.
As of Wednesday, 969 fines in total have been issued by Gardaí in the county, up from 866 last week.
Across the Republic, 17,735 on-the-spot fines have now been given out to people for breaking a range of lockdown measures including breaches of the 5km travel limit.
Nationally, Gardaí issued a further 74 €500 fines to people for organising house parties during the final week in March, bringing the total number of fines related to organising events to 686.
There was a reduction in the number of fines given out to people attending parties though, with 224 more fines dished out over the seven-day period.
In total, 2,383 fines of €100 have now been handed out to people for going to parties. Gardaí have also dished out 315 €80 fines to people for not wearing face masks.
The Cork City Garda Division still has the highest number of fines issued with 1,888 to date, followed by Dublin North (1,779), Dublin West (1,240), and Limerick (1,167).
Deputy Commissioner, Policing and Security, Anne Marie McMahon said that An Garda Síochána acknowledges the impact Covid-19 restrictions are having on people.
But she said that the restrictions are keeping people safe and reducing the spread of Covid-19 in the community.
“Despite constant public health advice, people are still attending house parties and other social gatherings.
“Going to such gatherings puts you, your loved ones, and everyone else you come into contact with subsequently, at risk of exposure to COVID-19. Attending such gatherings are a breach of the Health Regulations.”
Gardaí urged people to stay home during Easter, which they say is the best way of keeping people safe.
Up to €400,000 is available for Galway City and County Councils to help develop permanent outdoor dining spaces in preparation for the summer, with more funding for hospitality businesses to increase their outdoors capacity.
The €17 million Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme was announced this week to help deliver additional capacity for eating and drinking outdoors this summer when the hospitality sector reopens.
There are two main strands to the scheme, Part 1 of which will allow individual tourism and hospitality businesses to apply for grants that will allow them to increase their outdoor seating capacity.
Part 2 of the scheme is aimed specifically at local authorities, with each council able to apply for up to €200,000 to develop permanent outdoor dining spaces in towns and cities.
Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin said of the scheme, “The aim is to support jobs and businesses and to transform appropriate outdoor spaces within our cities and towns as welcoming, vibrant places that will help support economic recovery.
“This funding announcement further strengthens this Government’s commitment to the development of rural towns, as outlined in the ‘Our Rural Future’ plan announced earlier this week.”
The scheme is being jointly administered by Fáilte Ireland and local authorities, and will officially open for applications on April 12.
Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland said that it will help businesses offset some of the costs of increasing their outdoor capacity, and develop larger spaces in towns and cities in preparation for “welcoming back visitors when it is safe to do so”.
He added that Fáilte Ireland will work with the County and City Management Association on behalf of local councils to help design projects which will be “efficient and practical”.
Moira Murrell of the CCMA said “Local Authorities are looking forward to administering this Scheme for individual businesses, as well as delivering year-round all-weather outdoor seating options to boost the appeal and attractiveness of our cities and towns.”
“Following the success of the Street Furniture Grant Scheme, implemented by some Local Authorities in 2020, we look forward to creating outdoor dining experiences around the country that not only benefit locals, but are also attractive to domestic and overseas visitors when the sector re-opens.”
On its own initiative Galway City Council has already decided to waive Tables and Chairs Licence fees for outdoor seating in the hospitality sector until the end of 2021.
Galway United are headed to Athlone this evening for their second game of the 2021 season, after an indecisive start against Shelbourne last week.
United Manager John Caulfield said that they are looking forward to a “great game” tonight, as Athlone have put together a very solid team.
Adrian Carberry’s side started their season with a 2-2 draw against UCD, which Caulfield praised as a “fantastic result”.
“They have brought in a number of quality players with experience and will be looking to compete for the division title. It is another great game to look forward to, we have been working all week for it but we know how difficult it will be.”
“Reflecting on last Friday’s match, I thought we played quite well during the game and created some chances but unfortunately we didn’t take them.”
“This team will improve as we go on and I am very happy with the attitude of the lads so far,” John Caulfield said.
Galway United’s first home game of the season against Shelbourne last Friday ended in a 0-0 draw at Eamonn Deacy Park.
“Every week you have to be on your game. It is a highly competitive league and we know we have to play to our best standard to get results. With the one automatic spot, it is going to be a real challenge for all the teams but all we can do is be on our top form.”
“There are a few knocks from last week and we will know better closer to kick-off but we are hopeful they will clear up. We are still at the start of the season and it is a long way to go but it is another big game for us on Friday night in Athlone.”
Francely Lomboto will miss out on Friday’s game due to a long-term injury, while Stephen Christopher returns to the squad after missing last week’s game, and it is hoped Ronan Manning will do the same.
Galway United v Athlone Town will kick off at 7:45pm on Friday night.
Galway United 2021 Squad
Kevin Horgan, Conor Kearns, Michael Garrihy, Conor O’Keeffe, Stephen Walsh, Gary Boylan, Killian Brouder, Maurice Nugent, Christopher Horgan, Shane Duggan, David Hurley, Shane Doherty, Stephen Christopher, Mikie Rowe, Carlton Ubaezuonu, Caoilfhionn O’Dea, Mikey Place, Conor McCormack, Ronan Manning, Ruairi Keating, Padraic Cunningham, Wilson Waweru, Francely Lomboto, Colin Kelly.
A walk-in COVID test centre has opened in Ballinasloe today for people who have no symptoms but wish to be tested for the virus.
The test centre will be open for three days at the Town Hall and Library car park and is one of four walk-in hubs opening nationwide today.
Ballinasloe LEA has the highest 14-day COVID incidence rate in Galway with 209 cases per 100,000 people. Fifty-nine cases were confirmed in the LEA in the two weeks to March 29.
In the past two days, a total of seven temporary test centres have opened looking to find asymptomatic infections in the general population.
The other centres opening today are at Naas Racecourse in Kildare, Athlone Regional Sports Centre in Westmeath and Crumlin GAA Clubhouse in Dublin.
The Dublin locations will operate for a week whereas locations outside the capital will be open for five days except Ballinasloe, which will open for just three days.
Veryan Medical has announced a multimillion-euro investment in its Galway facility, creating 20 jobs over the next two years.
The new roles will focus on three development projects – two focused on arterial intervention and one focused on an exciting new treatment for venous disease.
Veryan Medical opened its first Galway facility and hired its first employees in 2006 and was acquired by Otsuka Medical Devices (OMD) in 2018.
An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD welcomed the significant investment yesterday.
“This expansion demonstrates the company’s commitment to Ireland and will allow it to continue to benefit from the rich pool of talent in Galway and the surrounding area. I wish the team the very best for the future,” he said.
Nick Yeo, Chief Executive Officer of Veryan Medical Ltd. added: “Today’s announcement provides a very timely stimulus for our outstanding team, which has displayed remarkable resilience and perseverance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For more than a decade, our Galway R&D team has nurtured a culture of Design Intelligence and this investment will create exciting opportunities to add this value mark to the new products we are developing.”
Loughrea and the two local electoral areas in Connemara have recorded the lowest 14-day COVID-19 incidence rates in the county.
New data shows that the two-week incidence rate in Loughrea LEA has fallen to just 47.4 cases per 100,000 people, a huge decrease since last week when the rate was 224.
Fewer than five cases were recorded in Conamara North LEA, while in Conamara South the rate is 23.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with exactly five cases confirmed in the area in the 14 days to March 29.
A total of 92 cases were recorded in the city over the fortnight, with Galway City East LEA accounting for over half of these new cases. The 14-day rate there is now 195.5 cases per 100,000 people.
Galway City West and Galway City Central LEAs both have rates of 67 cases per 100,000 people.
Ballinasloe LEA has the highest rate in Galway with 209 cases per 100,000 (59 confirmed cases), and Tuam LEA’s rate fell to 135.6 in the latest data.
Just 15 new cases were confirmed in Gort-Kinvara LEA, taking its 14 day incidence to 46.8 cases per 100,000 people, while in Athenry-Oranmore, where 61 new cases were recorded, the rate now stands at 185.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The two-week incidence rate nationally when the data was recorded was 164.1 cases per 100,000 people.
Connacht Rugby have announced a new coaching team for the coming season, with Peter Wilkins, Mossy Lawler, and Colm Tucker moving up to the senior squad.
Peter Wilkins will be taking over the role of Senior Coach responsible for attack, while Moss Lawler has been appointed Assistant Attack & Skills Coach, and Colm Tucker is coming on board as Defence & Forwards Technical Skills Coach.
On top of these three announcement, a search is also underway for a new Forwards Coach as Jimmy Duffy will be departing at the end of this season.
The size of the Professional Coaching is increasing from four to five, giving Head Coach Andy a greater coverage of the different aspects of play, and allowing the individual coaches more scope to drill down into their responsibilities.
Wilkins, Lawler, and Tucker are all coming to the professional coaching team from within the organisation, having previously served other roles with Connacht.
Peter Wilkins moved to Connacht from Edinburgh in 2017 as Defence Coach, having previously held the same role for the Scottish side. Before that he spent eight years in Australia, serving in various positions at the Queensland Reds.
Mossy Lawler moved to the backroom after a successful career on the pitch for Munster and the Wasps in England. Lawler made 65 appearances over the course of his time with Munster from 2001 to 2008, winning two Heineken Cups in the process.
Since 2014 he has served as Elite Player Development Officer in the Connacht Academy and for the past four years as Head Coach for the Connacht Eagles.
Colm Tucker joined Connacht in 2015 as Coach Development Officer before moving to the role of Provincial Talent Coach 12 months later, and subsequently as Elite Player Development Officer.
During that time he was Head Coach of the Connacht U18s that won the 2018 Interprovincial Championship – a first in 10 years for the province.
Between them Tucker and Lawler have been instrumental in the development of the many Connacht Academy players who have moved up to the Professional squad in recent years.
All three coaches have signed two-year contracts running in tandem with Andy Friend’s recently announced extension as Head Coach.
Head Coach Andy Friend said “This is really exciting development for Connacht Rugby. Firstly with Peter as our new Senior Coach we have someone who has been a crucial part of the coaching team since my arrival.
“Pete has an incredible knowledge of the game and has built up a wealth of experience across the PRO14 and Super Rugby. I know he will thrive in his new role of implementing strategies across a number of areas of our programme.”
“I’m equally pleased to welcome Colm and Mossy into our coaching setup from next season. I’ve always believed in strong integration between the Pro and Academy environments, so we’ve been working closely together the past few years.
“Like Nigel and Jimmy before them when they first became Pro coaches, they have worked their way through the coaching ranks here and have played a major part in the development of the many young players we have in our squad.”
Friend added that their appointments will enable greater continuity as Connacht continues to develop homegrown talent via the Academy.
An additional 18 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported by health officials today, along with 761 new cases of the disease.
There are 20 new cases reported in Galway today, where the 14 day incidence rate has now fallen to 104.6 cases per 100,000 people. There have been 270 cases here in the past two week.
Of the deaths notified today 11 occurred in March, and seven were in February. The average age of those who died was 81, and the age range of the victims was 59 – 95 years old.
There have now been 4,705 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland, and a total of 236,600 confirmed cases in the state since the start of the pandemic.
Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 15 confirmed cases.
As of 8am this morning there were 274 people hospitalised with COVID-19 in Ireland, of whom 63 are in the ICU. Another 18 people have been admitted to hospital with the disease in the past 24 hours.
Of the cases notified today:
383 are men and 373 are women
72% are under 45 years of age
the median age is 33 years old
372 in Dublin, 55 in Meath, 43 in Cork, 40 in Kildare, 38 in Offaly and the remaining 213 cases are spread across 19 other counties
There were 819,676 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Ireland as of Monday, March 29, with 228,988 people fully vaccinated.
The COVID-19 data hub provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of the virus in the community including daily data on Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
Seán Canney TD has welcomed the allocation of €89,000 in funding to support 20 built Heritage projects in County Galway.
A range of projects will be supported by the investment and the Galway East TD says that the fund will help to safeguard the county’s rich built heritage.
The funding will allow for many buildings to remain in use and help to bring others back into use.
“It will also have a knock-on economic benefit by providing further employment for heritage contractors and other skilled crafts and tradespeople,” said Deputy Canney.
“I acknowledge the work of the Local Authorities, particularly the Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff without whom these schemes would not exist.”
The Independent TD said that he is encouraging the Department to review the cost of insurance for thatched properties which is ‘acting as a deterrent’ to house owners to retain the thatch roofs.
“The availability of homeowners with thatched houses to get insurance at a reasonable cost is a cause of concern which I raised with Minister Daragh O Brien in the Dáil.”
A long term Swimming Ban has been imposed at Clifden Beach due to persistent poor water quality results in recent years.
The Environmental Protection Agency has instructed the county council to remove Clifden Beach from its list of designated beaches this year.
This comes as a result of water quality testing over the past five years, where Clifden received a ‘Poor’ rating from the EPA from 2016 to 2020.
Water samples were taken from Clifden Beach on 46 occasions between 2016 and 2020, according to beaches.ie, which is maintained by the EPA.
However, of those 31 returned an ‘Excellent’ quality result, 4 received a ‘Good’ result, 3 were marked ‘Sufficient’, and 8 came back with a ‘Poor’ result.
The county council has said that signage will now be erected at the beach with a Do No Swim notice, and that the water quality will continue to be monitored, with the notice to be removed if results change.
“Pleased note that Galway County Council has applied for the classification of a new bathing area, Aillebrack/Silverhill Beach for the 2021 bathing season in lieu of Clifden Beach,” a statement from the county council said.
“Aillebrack/Silverhill is a beautiful sandy beach located on the Ballyconneely Peninsula. The beach is located approximately 5 km west of the village of Ballyconneely and 14 km south of Clifden Town.
“It has been awarded a Green Coast Award for many years in recognition of its excellent water quality and community involvement in the management of the area.”
In relation to the poor water quality results seen at Clifden Beach, the county council said that a new treatment plant for the town was completed in 2015, and fully operational by 2018.
However, while there have been significant upgrade works to the local network to reduce surface water discharge to the Owenglen River and bay, there is only one remaining storm water overflow, which is located at the treatment plant.
“Risk assessments carried out as part of the development of a Management Plan for the bathing area indicate that this storm water overflow may continue to pose a risk to the bathing area.”
“Irish Water have a working group reviewing this issue at present and are working with the EPA in relation to regularisation of the outfall. Galway County Council will continue to engage with Irish Water in relation to this issue.”
“Other potential sources of pollution include discharges from septic tanks in the area. Galway County Council will continue to follow up in relation to any issues identified that may pose a risk to the bathing area.”
Loughrea artist Lorraine Fletcher, one of more than 1,200 artists taking part in this year’s Incognito online art sale
Dozens of Galway artists are among a star-studded line-up of talented artists taking part in Incognito 2021 in aid of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.
The online art sale will feature paintings by 62 local artists as well as well-known figures such as Tommy Tiernan, Bob Geldof and The Edge from U2.
As the name suggests, the identity of the artist behind each €60 painting is kept secret until after a purchase has been made.
Local artists taking part include Penny Cahill from Barna, Antoinette O’Mahony from Furbo, Pat Flannery from Ballybane, Christopher Banahan from Kinvara, and Sallyann Beirne and Lorraine Fletcher from Loughrea.
They join other famous names such as designer Paul Costelloe, comedian Jason Byrne, artist Don Conroy and Nobel prize winner Dr William Campbell.
The collection is now live at www.incognito.ie and the online art sale takes place on Thursday 22 April at 10am sharp.
Antoinette O’Mahony from Furbo
Over 3,000 original postcard-sized artworks make up the collection, ranging from oils and pastels to glass and metalwork.
And people are urged to be quick, as during last year’s ultra-successful event, everything was sold in just 15 minutes!
In the five years since its inception, Incognito has raised almost €450,000 for Jack & Jill’s home nursing care for children with highly complex medical conditions, including end-of-life care.
This equates to more than 28,000 hours of specialist home nursing care provided by Jack & Jill nurses and carers the length and breadth of the country.
For curator Lucinda Hall, Incognito 2021 is an opportunity to bring the talents of Galway artists to a brand-new audience.
“We are so very grateful to each of our artists from Galway who have shared their talents with us and given their art for free,” said Lucinda.
“It is a huge tribute to their generosity of time and spirit following what has been an extremely difficult period for the arts world.
“We hope that by hosting what is Ireland’s largest online public art exhibition, that we can shine a light on the amazing talent of our artists, and introduce a whole new audience to their work.”
For Carmel Doyle, CEO of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, Incognito 2021 is about generous, talented artists turning their art into a real currency for care.
“Each year, Jack & Jill has to raise over €4 million to continue doing what we do supporting families to look after their sick children at home, where they belong,” Carmel explained.
“Less than 20 per cent of our funding comes from Government, and with COVID-19 continuing to restrict our public-facing fundraising and our charity shops still closed, we are relying hugely on the generosity and support of the public for Incognito 2021.
“Each piece sold translates into almost four hours of specialist home nursing care for local children, turning this beautiful art into a real currency for care.”
How Incognito Works:
Register online in advance of the online sale on Thursday April 22 at www.incognito.ie – with the sale likely to sell out in minutes, it will save precious time in your sprint to the checkout on the day.
Browse the collection of 3,000-plus postcard artworks, each numbered without artists’ names identified.
Note down details of the artworks you wish to purchase for your wish list.
Be ready to go online on Thursday April 22 at 10am sharp when the sale goes live and choose your selected artworks.
Once your purchase is successful, let the suspense begin for your chosen piece of art to arrive in the post!
The RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard are urging people to follow water safety advice over the Easter holidays after a recent increase in call-outs to swimmers in difficulty and walkers cut off by the tide.
Despite the decent weather forecast for the next few days, the organisations have stressed that sea temperatures remain at their coldest at this time of year.
They also warned people out walking near the coast that cliff top areas may have been eroded.
RNLI Water Safety manager, Kevin Rahill, said that people are being asked to think about their own safety over the coming days and Easter.
“Coastal areas and our inland waterways provide a great opportunity to enjoy fresh air and open space,” he said.
But it is important to remember that while air temperatures may be warming up in spring and early summer, water temperatures remain dangerously cold between 8 and 10 degrees, increasing the risk of cold water shock.
“And, if you are out for a walk on the beach, make sure to check the tide times to avoid being cut off by a rising tide.”
The Irish Coast Guard’s Head of Operations, Gerard O’Flynn, added: “The past year has seen an increase in activities such as open water swimming, and incidents relating to use of inflatable toys which are unsuitable for open water.
“Please always be mindful of your personal safety and always ensure that you have a means of communication should you get into difficulty.”
Water safety advice from the Irish Coast Guard and RNLI
• When kayaking and paddle boarding always carry a means of calling for help, such as a VHF radio or mobile phone in a waterproof pouch.
• Whenever going afloat, wear an appropriate buoyancy aid or lifejacket.
• For open water swimmers and dippers, acclimatise slowly and always be visible
• Check weather forecasts, tidal conditions, never swim alone and ensure that your activity is being monitored by a colleague onshore.
• Take care if walking or running near cliffs – know your route and keep dogs on a lead
• Carry a fully charged phone
• If you get into trouble in the water, FLOAT – fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back, extend your arms and legs, and Float.
If you see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast, Dial 112 or 999 or use VHF radio and ask for the Coast Guard.
One hundred and fifty community, voluntary, and environmental groups in Galway City will share their perspectives on what lessons to take from 2020, and what the future priorities of the city should be at the Galway City Community Network AGM.
The GCCN will hold its Annual General Meeting and first Plenary of 2021 later this month on April 14 via Zoom, and members are being encouraged to contribute to the diversity of voices that will be heard.
This will give stakeholders in our local communities a chance to learn from the 2020 challenges while looking at future priorities and ways to further get involved in actively influencing decision making structures in Galway.
Ann Irwin, GCCN Co-ordinator, stated “2020 has been a year like no other for all of us. Since the onset of the COVID-19 alert, GCCN made drastic changes in how we operate while maintaining the focus on the community.”
“GCCN and other member organisations had to find ways to innovatively respond to the needs of communities and we were happy to contribute to the city’s Community Response Forum and the Community Call Helpline”.
The AGM will look at how the 2020 events have impacted the work of the Network and how, throughout the COVID-19 alert, Galway City Community Network supported and connected local communities at a time of great difficulty and isolation.
The GCCN helped co-ordinate the representation of the community, voluntary and environmental sectors in Galway City on local government bodies while also offering ongoing support in the Galway City Community Response Forum.
The second part of the April meeting, the Spring Plenary, will give a brief overview of what 2021 has brought so far.
GCCN and its members will then look at the future by discussing new priorities to focus on as included in the new GCCN Strategic Plan 2021-2023, which will be launching at this time.
Ann Irwin said that this Strategic Plan is the result of a collaborative process with their members which identified key priorities for the Network.
“We are delighted to be at the point where we will ask our members to ratify the Strategic Plan that will provide a framework for our work until 2023.”
Andy Friend has said that playing with their trademark speed and creativity, while maintaining discipline, is the best option for Connacht against Leicester this weekend.
Connacht and the Leicester Tigers will meet in the European Challenge Cup this Saturday at Weldron Road, with kick-off at 7:45pm.
Leicester play a very physical game, and Friend says Connacht will need to work hard to limit their attacking opportunities, and get in some early opportunities to keep the Tigers playing catch up.
“Not too dissimilar to what you saw when we beat Leinster at the RDS, we outworked them and we outworked them early and we got some scores on the board and then they had to chase.”
“Our intent, both with and without the football, we’ll be able to see that. If we don’t have the footy, our desire is to go up and shut down their time and space.”
“When we do have the ball, we’ll have to win those collisions, but if we do we’ll have to be brave enough to play as well,” Andy Friend said
Paul Boyle says that Connacht have put a lot of work into their defence at training heading into the Leicester game, and is confident there won’t be a repeat of what he feels was a defensive let down against the Scarlets.
Connacht narrowly fell to the Scarlets 41 – 36 in their last Guinness PRO14 outing, failing to make it into the finals.
“We put a huge focus on it this week and we have trained really well. We’re looking forward to going after them this week defensively,” Boyle said.
Boyle — who represented Ireland at under 20’s level — said that the remaining games, both in Europe and the Rainbow Cup, will be a shop window for Connacht players to put their hands up for international selection.
Andy Friend described the Challenge Cup as Chapter Two of the current campaign by Connacht Rugby, giving them another chance to take home a trophy this season.
“We didn’t make that final [PRO14], and it was disappointing. We keep talking about it as a squad, winning silverware, and we’ve put ourselves in a position where we’re in the top 16 and if you win five games you win silverware.
“That would be the intention — certainly, it is my intention — and I know as a group of coaches and players that is our collective intention. We want to go and win it.”
“So, there is pressure on the game. We know that Connacht’s form against English sides hasn’t been great over the course of history, so we get an opportunity to go and correct that.”
“We know we’re up against a very formidable side, so it’s no mean feat but we’re going there — and I want us to put pressure on ourselves — to perform because this is the mark of sides that can show the growth that I believe is taking place here.”
Galway Simon Community has expressed serious concern about the rising number of individuals and families living in emergency accommodation this year.
There were 339 people in the west of Ireland living in emergency accommodation as of the end of February, including 52 families with 120 children.
The overall numbers represent an increase of 18% on December 2020. But more alarmingly, the number of families without a home is up 24%, and the number of children in emergency accommodation has also gone up 33%.
“The number of people living in Emergency Accommodation in the West has increased for the second month in a row this year,” said Karen Golden, CEO of the Galway Simon Community.
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 when Covid-19 restrictions and measures such as the moratorium on evictions are eased”.
Red C research commissioned by SVP released last week reported that a significant proportion of Irish society are facing a multitude of financial pressures due to the pandemic.
The research found that 43% of the population reported experiencing at least one form of financial strain due to Covid-19.
“The recent SVP research released is very worrying and really highlights the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which is resulting in people being pushed into poverty and becoming at risk of homelessness,” Karen Golden said.
Of particular concern among the findings of the report, she notes, is that 24% of people said that they have cut back on food, heating or electricity due to the cost, and 14% of people reported falling behind on household bills.
“These are basic every day necessities that people are having to sacrifice due to the financial strains that they are under due to Covid-19.”
“With social and affordable housing at an all-time low across the West, we believe it is crucially important that the focus is on preventing people from becoming homeless and entering homeless services, rather than short term solutions such as Emergency Accommodation.
“Prevention services must be supported to ensure we can stop the flow of people into homelessness and to shield people from enduring the trauma of having nowhere to call home,” Karen added.
Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell has raised the long-awaited flood defences for Galway City at this week’s Finance Committee.
Deputy Farrell told Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan that it was revealed in November that it will be at least eight years before long-awaited flood defences are completed in the Spanish Arch and Docks areas.
Galway City Council estimated that it would be towards the end of 2028 before works are finished.
The Sinn Féin TD said: “It is my understanding that the OPW was to be commencing a 5 stage process; with stage 1 being an environmental impact assessment and cost benefit analysis, stage 2 and 3 involve seeking planning permission and progressing a detailed design, before going to tender, 4 and 5 involving construction and completion.
“In the Chief Executive’s report, it states that the local authority does not anticipate that it will commence construction until quarter one of 2025 – a stage they estimate will take three years to complete.”
Deputy Farrell added that the capital investment projects serve environmental purposes that could save homes and lives in the event of a flood emergency.
“We know that capital projects are way behind at the moment due to COVID and restrictions.
“We also know that the likes of the ESRI, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, even the IMF, are all telling us that expanding capital investment will be key as the pandemic recedes.
“So, would you commit to re-examining the timeline around the flood defences with a view to bringing the start date forward?” asked the Galway West TD.
In response the Minister said that he could not accelerate the timeline but committed to coming to Galway to visit the area in question and to meet with both Galway City Council staff and Oireachtas Members.
He also commended once more the hard work of Galway County Council staff during the recent flooding in Clifden and said that he would visit there as well.
Galway City council have accepted a proposal from An Pucan Bar on Forster St at their most recent council meeting. The controversial proposal will see many of Galway’s most famous landmarks being renamed after local companies in an attempt to promote recovery local business post covid.
It has been agreed to rename the heart of the city An Pucan Square with the bar’s branding to be prominently displayed throughout the location.
The trial which kicks off from today will also see a host of name changes including Dough Bros Docks, Quay Dental Street and Galway Hooker Cathedral.
Bilingual signage will be erected in each location in addition to a significant social media campaign headed up by Don Keigh on behalf of the City Council, a similar scheme is being tried in Bray with great success.
The Pennyes Prom, Supermacs Diving Tower, Wolf and West End, Residence Hotel Racecoure are some of the other names which were selected by the Renaming Task Force lead by April Dafirst.
As we know the past year has been like no other for business so if we can raise the profile in an innovative and creative way then the entire city can benefit.
Kirwins Lane Restaurant Lane, Hyde Bohermore and Eir Square just didn’t quiet work but proposals are still being accepted until the end of the month. Suggestions can be emailed to aprildafirst@gmail.com
An Bord Pleanála has granted planning approval for a mixed use development in Moycullen consisting of a 46 houses and commercial units.
The Bord granted planning permission to Baile Ui Choirc Fearainn Teoranta for the estate at Ballyquirke, Moycullen, on undeveloped lands at the north eastern end of the village centre.
An appeal was made to the higher planning authority after Galway County Council refused approval for the estate last September, with redesigned plans submitted to the bord for consideration.
The housing element of the development includes a significant number of assisted living houses, meant to enable older people continue to live on their own independently.
This element consist 13 one-bedroom and 1 two-bedroom units. The remainder of the housing in the plans consists of two and three bedroom duplex and terraced houses.
Also included in the plans are a childcare facility, a community café, and two commercial office units.
An Bord Pleanála attached nineteen conditions to the grant of planning permission for the estate, including a requirement for an archaeological appraisal of the site before development.
Galway County Council had refused approval for the development on the grounds that such a residential focus was not appropriate for lands zoned Village Centre.
The council also said that it was not satisfied that the estate wouldn’t have an environmental effect on nearby special areas of conservation, pose a road safety hazard, and a flood risk.
It was also stated by the council that the design of the estate fails to integrate with the existing character of Moycullen, and the it would affect the amenity of the are due to its visually dominant position on sloped lands and its “scale, height, mass and uniformity of
design”.
In response to county council’s argument that the plans were weighted to heavily towards residential usage the original proposal of 48 houses was reduced by two, and two offices were added in their place to increase the commercial usage to 12% of the total.
This is still less than the 30-50% level the council sought, but the developer argued that this would not be sustainable considering current commercial vacancy levels.
The developer also argued that expert reports including the Natura Impact Statement, Traffic and Transport Assessment, Road Safety Audit, and Flood Risk Assessment provided all the information the authority required.
Ten objections were received by An Bord Pleanála, nine from local residents and a submission from An Taisce, which reiterated many of the arguments initially made to the county council.
Locals expressed concern that this site has previously flooded, and said that the information submitted by the developer has not indicated recorded flood events.
It was also argued that there is no justification for approving a residential development in a village centre location, where planning permission has already been granted for other projects which will deliver more than 400 homes in the area.
Concerns were expressed about traffic and pedestrian safety with the added traffic on the existing road network, arguing that this proposal is premature before the provision of the Moycullen bypass.
