Galway tourism operators join ‘Ireland Virtual Expo’

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November 18, 2020

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

The Department of Health has reported 379 new cases of Covid-19 in the State and 12 further deaths related to the disease.

The number of new cases reported in Galway today is 17, while there were 116 additional cases in Dublin, 38 in Donegal and 30 in Meath.

64% are under 45 years of age and the median age of the cases is 36.

Including suspected or probable Covid related deaths, the number of fatalities linked to the disease in Ireland is now more than 2,000.

“Today we sadly report over 2,000 deaths associated with COVID-19 to date in this country,” said Dr Tony Holohan this evening.

“This pandemic has impacted, directly and indirectly, on families and communities all across Ireland.

“It is important that we continue to work together if we are to suppress this virus and protect as many people as possible. For the next two weeks, work from home, stay at home and follow public health advice.”

As of 2pm today, there are 282 people with COVID-19 in Irish hospitals, of which 33 are in ICU. There have been 22 additional hospitalisations over the past 24 hours.

Overall Hospital Statistics

Total number of cases	68,679
Total number hospitalised	4,931
Total number admitted to ICU	599
Total number of deaths	1,746
Total number of healthcare workers	11,457
Number clusters notified	8,461
Cases associated with clusters	36,267
Median age	39

Local nursing home breaches multiple health regulations

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November 18, 2020

GALWAY DAILY news nursing homes galway hiqa

A nursing home near Ballinasloe was found to be non-compliant with 23 health regulations after a risk inspection was carried out by HIQA during the summer.

A HIQA report published yesterday contains a number of significant concerns about Kiltormer Nursing Home in Ballinasloe, which is run by D & G Nursing Home Limited.

During the unannounced inspection on 13 July, inspectors spoke to seven residents at the home who said they were content in the company of the staff.

They said that they were happy living there, as it had a “good atmosphere” and described staff as friendly and helpful.

Inspectors observed staff at the home informing residents about meals, visits and general news.

But the report raised a number of issues such as inadequte PPE and not enough resources being allocated to nursing care.

On the morning of the inspection, several staff were not wearing face masks, and one resident who was supposed to be in isolation was not cared for by staff wearing appropriate PPE.

The nurse on duty during the visit was “extremely busy assessing residents’ care, changing health conditions and arranging admissions to hospital,” the report says.

Inspectors said that there was no time available to make sure hygiene standards were being followed appropriately and they noted that several areas and items of equipment were unclean.

“There was evidence that care was not delivered in a person centred way. Residents told the inspectors for example that they had showers/baths once a week,” the report states.

A review of nursing and medical records found that the provider had not ensured that appropriate medical and health care had been provided for residents.

Several residents had not been reviewed for several months.

At the time of the inspection, the nursing home had not recorded any positive cases of Covid-19, but there was no reference in any record that residents had been tested for the disease, or that their results had been conveyed to them.

The report also found the home to be non-compliant with the Health Act 2007 in relation to residents’ rights.

One issue was that there were some shared bedrooms where privacy and dignity was compromised as screens around beds did not appropriately enclose beds.

At the feedback meeting following the inspection, the provider representative and person in charge accepted the findings and they were willing to address the issues raised.

Oughterard

A separate report was published yesterday by HIQA after an unannounced visit on 30 July to Oughterard Manor, run by The Brindley Manor Federation of Nursing Homes Limited.

Brindley took over the home from the HSE after a closure order was served against the former Owenriff Nursing Home, then run by Riverside Nursing Home Ltd, after a shocking HIQA report earlier this year.

In yesterday’s HIQA report, Oughterard Manor, home to 25 residents, was generally compliant with the Health Act 2007, with few concerns raised in the 26-page report.

However, inspectors observed while walking through the nursing home that there were two residents in isolation.

A member of the senior management team decided to isolate these residents, as they had symptoms associated with longstanding chronic conditions.

But inspectors were told that they were not suspected of having COVID-19 and it had been decided that if the residents’ condition deteriorated, then they would be tested.

On the day of inspection, the residents had spent a total of 11 days in isolation – and there had been no reassessment of whether they needed to remain in isolation.

The residents were not offered a COVID-19 test, which would have confirmed if isolation was actually necessary.

The residents’ notes said that they did not have symptoms of COVID-19.

For example, there was no raised temperature or any difficulty with breathing reported.

HIQA said that the decision to isolate residents was not appropriately risk-assessed, and there was “no clear rationale to justify the ongoing isolation” of the two residents.

While the report found this home to be non-compliant in Regulation 27: Infection Control and Regulation 17: Premises, the Oughterard nursing home was generally compliant, with residents very satisfied with the care received.

No resident spoken with on the day of the inspection had ever felt the need to make a complaint, the report said.

Read the full report for Kiltormer Nursing Home HERE. Read the full report for Oughterard Manor HERE.

Plans for new 46 home Loughrea housing estate

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November 18, 2020

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

Plans are before Galway County Council for a housing development on the outskirts of Loughrea consisting of 46 homes.

Bilberrylane Ltd is seeking outline permission from the council for the construction of a residential estate on a site off the Caheronaun Park Road.

The estate will consist of 6 two-bedroom, terraced houses; 4 three-bedroom end terrace houses; 18 one-bedroom, duplex units; and 18 two-bedroom duplex units.

The proposed location of the estate is a greenfield site sought of the N65, with proposed vehicular access off the Caheronaun Park Road.

“The proposed houses are to be laid out along the south, east and partially along the western boundary thereby creating a large public open space for houses to overlook,” the application states.

“It is considered an important design principle that all houses are outward looking, and which overlook the public open space, thereby creating an element of passive surveillance but also outward looking to address and animate the public road”.

“The balconies of the first floor duplex units will create an active street frontage and will provide abundant overlooking and passive surveillance of the open space.”

The developer proposes to provide 65 car parking spaces of “communal shared parking” located in front of the houses.

The application also notes that there are no existing trees within the site, and states that the hedge along the western boundary with the Caheronaun Park Road is in poor condition.

The developer proposes to build a low stone wall with new hedging along the western boundary, and also to locate a number of native trees within the public open space of the housing estate.

Outline permission differs from full planning permission in that the developer only submits those plans and information needed to see if the council agrees in principle with the development, such as its location, layout etc.

If outline permission is granted, more detailed drawings and plans must be submitted to receive consequent permission before any construction work begins.

Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this outline permission application by December 13.

Two Galway men in Republic of Ireland’s starting XI tonight

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November 18, 2020

galway daily sport Extra train and buses added for Connacht's Aviva fixture

Two Gawlay men have been named in the Republic of Ireland’s starting 11 for tonight’s Nations League clash against Bulgaria.

Ryan Manning, formerly of Mervue United and Galway United, will start the game in a back four with Shane Duffy, Dara O’Shea and Kevin Long.

Galway native Daryl Horgan will also start tonight’s match, which kicks off at 7.45pm at the Aviva.

The Republic of Ireland have not won a game after seven matches under Stephen Kenny and have failed to score in their last six.

The squad is also missing key players due to Covid-19 and injuries.

Bulgaria have to win to avoid relegation, while Ireland need a point to stay in League B.

But more importantly, the game could have a major impact on World Cup qualifying draw seedings.

Republic of Ireland starting 11: Darren Randolph; Dara O’Shea; Ryan Manning, Kevin Long, Shane Duffy; Conor Hourihane, Jason Knight, Robbie Brady; Ronan Curtis, Daryl Horgan, James Collins.

Tesco Ireland recalls popular meat product

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November 18, 2020

galway daily news tesco chorizo recall meat fsai

Tesco Ireland has recalled a batch of its 16 Spicy Chorizo Slices due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

People have been advised not to eat products related to the batch of chorizo slices with a use-by date of 19^th December 2020.

Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.

In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications.

Some people are more vulnerable to the infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.

The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average 3 weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Point-of-sale recall notices are to be displayed in all Tesco stores.

Three Galway groups nominated for 2020 Pride of Place awards

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November 18, 2020

Three Galway Groups have been nominated for the annual Pride of Place awards which celebrate communities of all sizes and groups that provide a special service to their local area.

The Pride of Place awards were meant to be hosted this year by Kerry County Council, but due to COVID-19 restrictions will now take place via an online ceremony live streaming on November 21.

A total of 82 groups around the country have been nominated for these, the 18th PoP awards, which are organised by Co-Operation Ireland.

In Galway, the three nominees for the awards are Westside Arts Festival, Galway Contact, and Galway Cycle Bus.

While Galway has many festivals that have achieved world renown, and attract talent from all over the world, there is still plenty of scope for celebrating the work of local artists and community initiative.

Westside Arts Festival is an annual celebration of community creativity, which normally takes place each July, with a mix of events and workshops.

Galway Contact was founded in 1981 as a voluntary organisation to help older people to who feel isolated and vulnerable.

The charity provides a range of services including home visits, morning club, annual outings, and transport services.

Galway Cycle Bus is an initiative which aims to get school aged children cycling to and from school to encourage healthy sustainable habits.

Guided by volunteers to ensure the safety of all the children the project takes children to Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh and Knocknacarra NS each morning.

The 18th annual Pride of Place Awards will take place online, hosted by Mart Morrisey from 7pm on Saturday, November 21.

Motorists urged to take care on M17 after fuel spill

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November 18, 2020

Motorists on the M17 are being asked to be careful as there is a fuel spill on the route.

The spillage is on the motorway southbound between J20 Tuam and J19 Annagh Hill.

The AA has asked drivers on the M17 to take extra care on this route.

Updates to follow…

Status yellow wind warning now in place in Galway

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November 18, 2020

Gaway’s status yellow weather warning is now in force as the miserable weather looks set to continue for the rest of the week.

The weather warning, which also affects Mayo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick, will remain in place until 1am on Thursday.

Over the course of this evening, southwest to west winds veering northwest will reach mean speed 50 to 65km/h with gusts of 90 to 110km/h.

The combination of strong winds coupled with high tides brings an increased risk of coastal flooding.

NUIG and GMIT receive €500k for marine science scholarships

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November 18, 2020

Galway Daily news NUIG and GMIT receive €500k for marine science scholarships

NUI Galway and GMIT have been awarded half in million in grant aid funding for PhD scholarships organised by Galway’s Marine Institute.

Funding has been awarded for a total of seven new Cullen PhD Scholarships to run over the next four years, four of which have gone to GMIT, and one of which has been received by NUIG.

The Cullen Scholarship programme provides the opportunity for scientists in marine disciplines to benefit from the academic support of their host Higher Education Institute together with the practical training carried out using the Marine Institute laboratory facilities, historical datasets, and equipment.

Over the course of the four years they will also have access to unique resources in the marine research ships the RV Celtic Explorer and the soon to be retired RV Voyager.

Congratulating the recipients of the grants, Marine Institute CEO Dr Paul Connolly said that supporting the next generation of marine scientists helps improve Ireland’s research capacity

PhD Project Title	Lead Organisation	Grant-Aid Funding Awarded (for 4 years)
Biological changes in key commercially exploited fish in the light of Climate and Ocean Change	GMIT	€100,000
Enhancing farmed Atlantic salmon quality through new production technologies	NUI Galway	€100,000
Machine learning assisted detection and prediction of climate change related anomalous events in complex marine systems	GMIT	€100,000
Improving fishing survey indices though the use of spatio-temporal models	GMIT	€100,000
Seasonal to decadal sea level and ocean waves predictions through numerical modelling and statistical analysis	Maynooth University	€100,000
Biodiversity conservation and restoration in the Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park	GMIT	€100,000
Ecology of Irish tunas	TCD	€100,000

Five of the scholarships will provide scientific research findings that will be important in dealing with the effects of climate change on fisheries and marine systems.

The other two scholarships will investigate new production methods in the aquaculture sector, and the conservation of biodiversity in the Burrishoole Catchment, Newport, Co. Mayo. The students are expected to commence in early 2021.

Since the inception of the Cullen Scholarship Programme, a total investment of €3.1 million by the Marine Institute has been provided to fund 34 scholarships (31 PhD and 3 MSc). Two Masters students have completed and five PhD students have successfully defended their thesis at viva, with a further eight students planning to submit their thesis in 2021.

Funding for the Cullen Scholarship Programme is provided by the Marine Institute and the Irish Government, funded under the Marine Research Programme.

Hunger striker Laurence McKeown reading at Over the Edge reading

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November 18, 2020

Galway Daily arts Over the Edge returns after summer break

This month’s Over the Edge open reading will take place on Zoom at the regular time this Thursday.

The three featured readers at this month’s open reading are local man Liam Boyle, Audrey Molloy tuning in from Australia, and multi-talented artist and political activist. Laurence McKeown.

After the three featured readers there will be an open mic as usual for people to try out their own poetry for an audience starved for new arts.

The November open reading will take place this Thursday, November 19 from 6:30-8pm.

Liam Boyle was born in Drogheda and moved to Galway in the 1970s, recently getting back into the poetry he was fond of his his youth after a gap of several decades.

In the past year he has rediscovered the joys and challenges of poetry and has read his work in various settings. His poems deal mainly with memoir and reckonings.

Audrey Molloy is an Irish poet based in Sydney whose work has been featured in Poetry Ireland Review, The Irish Times, and more.

In 2019 she received the Hennessy Award for Emerging Poetry, the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award and the APIBA (An Post Irish Book Award) for Irish Poem of the Year.

Her debut pamphlet, Satyress came out this year, and her first collection, The Important Things, is due in 2021 from The Gallery Press.

Laurence McKeown is an author, playwright, filmmaker, and academic whose work examines art in the broader role of political activism.

His involvement in creative works, political education, and academia began during his period of incarceration as a political prisoner in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh from 1976-92, during which time he took part in the famous 1981 Hunger Strike for 70 days.

Whilst pursuing his PhD studies, Laurence co-wrote with Brian Campbell, a feature film, H3, based on the 1981 hunger strike within the prison.

Laurence has written twelve plays, three books, one TV series, a radio drama, and three documentary films. His most recent play, Green and Blue was premiered at the Belfast International Arts Festival in 2016.

People are invited to join in the Over the Edge Zoom meeting on Thursday at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7389013549, Meeting ID: 738 901 3549.

Write to future generations about COVID-19 in “Dear Galway…” project

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November 18, 2020

Galway Daily life & style Write to future generations about COVID-19 in "Dear Galway..." project

There’s no doubt we’re living in a unique moment in history, with people’s lives disrupted by COVID-19 at a scale and intensity that hasn’t been seen in decades, and hopefully won’t be seen for a long time again.

Galway City Museum is launching a new project to capture for future generations of Galwegians a sense of what it is, and has been, like to live through this time, in a letter from you to them.

In the “Dear Galway…” project, the museum is asking people to share their lived experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, and offer their advice on how to cope during a global crisis.

Some of the suggested topics for letters include addressing your initial feelings during the COVID-19 pandemic, or how it has affected your family, social, and work lives.

People could also talk about if they or someone they know has become sick with COVID during this time. What has been your experience responding to this disease?

Lockdown has been other big way in which this pandemic has touched almost everyone’s lives to a greater or lesser extent. How has lockdown affected you personally, your work and keeping in touch with family? How have you been passing time, and have you picked up knew skills or hobbies?

But importantly, looking to the future, what do you think you have learned from this experience that could be of use to future generations.

Participants can submit their letters by post or by email up until and including Monday, February 1 of next year.

Handwritten or typed letters can be sent via post to “Dear Galway” Project, Galway City Museum, Spanish Parade, Galway, H91 CX5P or scanned or typed letters can be emailed directly to museum@galwaycity.ie .

Anyone taking part is asked to title their letter “Dear Galway”. This project is open to all age groups and all letters will form part of a digital archive to be made available for research purposes.

Galway City Museum remains closed to the public in line with Level 5 government guidelines regarding Covid-19.

Visitors are still welcome to explore the museum virtually at www.galwaycitymuseum.ie and to follow museum social media channels for updates.

Irish water to replace almost a kilometre of Ahascragh water mains

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November 18, 2020

Galway Daily news Water main replacement

Irish Water is replacing almost a kilometre of leaky, old water mains in Ahascragh this winter, in works expected to be finished by the end of the year.

The work, which will begin in mid-November, is to replace 850m of leak prone water mains on the L74151 in Ahascragh with high-density polyethylene (plastic) pipes.

It’s expected that this work, which will be carried out by Farrans Construction Ltd, will be completed by the end of December according to Irish Water.

Commenting on the project Dave Murphy, Irish Water said: “To facilitate the safe delivery of the works, there will be some traffic management in place.

“The community will be notified of this in advance and local and emergency access will be maintained at all times.”

“The works may involve some short-term water shut offs and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water shut offs.”

“We understand that this type of work can be inconvenient and works crews will make every effort to minimise any disruption these necessary works cause.”

“This mains replacement work is part of a significant investment by Irish Water to upgrade the water network in Galway and we would like to thank customers in advance for their cooperation and patience while we complete this essential job.”

Irish gambling statistics in 2020

By

Angela Mc Bride

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November 18, 2020

Gambling is a popular activity in Ireland. According to Irish Examiner, Irish players gambled an estimated €9.8 billion in 2019. Sports betting, lotteries and casino games are the most common forms of gambling in the country, and more and more players are gambling online. In this article, we will look at some of the key statistics on gambling in Ireland.

Key statistics on gambling in Ireland

In February 2019, the Department of Health published a survey on gambling habits in Ireland. The report shows that two-thirds of the population have gambled in the last 12 months, and lottery tickets and scratch cards are the most common form of gambling.

The Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton, said this about the survey results: “The statistics show that many people in Ireland engage in various forms of gambling without any issue arising. For the small percentage of people for whom gambling is a problem, we need measures to reduce problem gambling and its impact on individuals and their families. For this, the collection of data is very important.”.

The current Irish lottery laws were introduced with the Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956, and Minister Stanton said that “the modernisation of our gambling legislation and the better regulation of the gambling industry is a priority for the government.”. In December 2019, the Gaming and Lotteries Act 2019 was signed into law. The 2019 act introduced a number of changes that are primarily aimed at land based gaming and lottery operators.

Below are some of the key findings from the Department of Health report:

Those aged 55-64 are most likely to have gambled in the last year (72.4%), followed by 35-44 year olds (70.5%) and 45-54 year olds (69.4%).
Lottery and scratch cards are the most common form of gambling, with 56.7% reporting this form of gambling in the last year, and 35.4% reporting this form of gambling on a monthly basis.
Gambling online or on phones is most common in the 25-34 year old group (5.7%), followed by 18-24 year olds (4.8%).
Problem gambling is most common in young males (2.9% in males aged 25-34 and 1.9% in males aged 18-24).

Most forms of gambling were included in the survey, such as buying a lottery ticket or a scratch card, gambling in a bookmaker’s shop, betting on horses and other sports, playing bingo, and playing online casino games at online casinos. Lotteries and scratch cards are by far the most popular form of gambling in Ireland, especially among older age groups. Problem gambling affects 0.8% of the general population and is most common in males aged 25-34. Minister Stanton commented that they will address the issues of introducing a modern licensing approach to all gambling activities and enhancing protection of vulnerable persons.

NUI Galway to host virtual CAO information evening

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November 18, 2020

galway daily news nuig aine brazil cao info evening

A CAO Virtual Information Evening will be hosted by NUI Galway next week featuring Áine Brazil, former Vice Chairman at the New York engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti.

She will join industry leaders, lecturers and current students from NUI Galway’s College of Science and Engineering for the event at 7pm on Thursday, 19 November.

It will feature live presentations on the University’s Science, Engineering, and Computer Science degrees and visitors to the Information Evening can watch a live panel discussion offering a practical advice on a range of topics like researching course options, attending Open Days and navigating the CAO applications system.

Current Science and Engineering students of Physics, Microbiology and Biomedical Engineering will offer their perspectives and experiences of studying across the physical and biological sciences, and engineering.

Áine Brazil, an Engineers Ireland ‘International Engineer of the Year’ recipient and structural engineer, was conferred with an honorary doctorate from NUI Galway in 2015. Áine will speak about her career as a successful and influential engineer.

Áine also sponsors the Máire Brazil Scholarship, named after her mother and awarded annually to the highest-ranked female student of Civil Engineering at NUI Galway.

The award offers €2,000 to the winning student in each of the subsequent three years of the BE Civil Engineering degree.

“In my over 40-year career I was fortunate to impact design approaches for the efficiency and safety of high rise buildings in New York city,” said Áine.

“The next 40 years promises greater change and exciting opportunities.”

Additional speakers include Brendan Tuohy, Chief Physicist with Galway University Hospitals, and Marian Finnerty, Senior Environmental Health and Safety Specialist at medical device manufacturer Merit Medical.

“This is an excellent opportunity for 5^th and 6^th year students to hear first-hand from lecturers and students, as well as graduates who have pursued successful careers across the sciences and engineering,” said Dr Gavin Collins, Vice-Dean for Student Recruitment in Science and Engineering at NUI Galway.

“We will also showcase our new degrees in Genetics and Genomics, Agricultural Science, our integrated five-year Bachelors and Masters of Engineering degrees, and we’ll provide news on our sports scholarships.”

To register for the Virtual Information Evening visit: https://bit.ly/2H9DhBj or for further information contact Eilís Ní Loingsigh at eilis.niloingsigh@nuigalway.ie.

Coronavirus: 11 deaths and 15 Galway COVID cases today

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November 17, 2020

There have been 11 additional deaths related to COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today, along with 366 more coronavirus cases.

Of the cases reported today 15 are in Galway, with the 14-day incidence rate now standing at 84.5 cases per 100,000 population.

All of the deaths notified today occurred in November the Department of Health said.

There have now been 68,686 confirmed cases in Ireland, and a total of 1,995 deaths related to COVID-19.

Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 36 confirmed cases, which is reflected in the national total.

As of 2pm on Tuesday there are 272 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in Ireland, of which 34 are in the ICU. 14 people have been hospitalised in the past 24 hours.

Of the cases notified today:

169 are men and 197 are women
61% are under 45 years of age
the median age is 38 years old
84 in Dublin, 44 in Limerick, 34 in Cork, 34 in Donegal, 24 in Roscommon and the remaining 146 cases are spread across 20 other counties

“I am increasingly concerned that the positive trends we had seen recently have not been maintained,” said Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer.

“The 5-day moving average of daily cases has increased from an average of 350 cases on November 11th to 424 today.”

“We have two weeks to continue in our efforts to drive down community transmission of this disease as much as possible. The lower the incidence the more flexibility the country will have in easing measures.”

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community.

correction: This article has been updated to correct a misprint on the national hospitalisation figures

Reinstatement of disabled drivers scheme welcomed

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November 17, 2020

Galway Daily news Disappointment that no occupational injury benefits coming for Long Covid sufferers

News that the HSE is resuming issuing primary medical certificates for the disabled drivers and passengers scheme after it was suspended earlier this year has been welcomed

Galway Roscommon TD Denis Naughten received confirmation from Minister Paschal Donohue this week that certificates will once again be issued after a court case in June resulted

Deputy Naughten welcomed the announced, after saying that the suspension of the scheme had left certain people “marooned in their own homes”.

The scheme provides drivers with tax relief for purchasing and adapting cars, as well as exemption from motor and fuel tax.

Galway East TD Seán Canney also raised the matter, saying that people who have been left in “limbo”, particularly those without access to public transport, need certainty about when they

Minister Paschal Donohue said that he has written to the HSE indicating that it should begin reissuing the required medical certificates.

“The effect of that communication, along with the amendment I will bring in, will be to restore the scheme to its original operation.”

However, Deputy Naughten expressed concern about the backlog of applications which has built up for the scheme since the HSE stopped issuing certificates, and sought reassurance that the personnel are in place to begin clearing it.

“My concern is that many of the staff who were processing these applications until June or July when they were suspended are now doing other work and dealing with Covid-19.

“While, in theory, the scheme has been reopened, the difficulty is there is no one to carry out the assessment. As a result, 1,500 people are being denied access to the disabled drivers scheme.”

Minister Donohue said that the resources should be in place for processing applications, and that he was not aware of issues relating to the availability of resources for processing applications.

“There is no change in the actual process in terms of who is carrying out the evaluation of the applications or in terms of the criteria for the applications being successful.”

Minister Donohue also said that it is intended to carry out a review of the disabled drivers scheme next year based on the Supreme Court ruling regarding a rejected application that led to the suspension of the scheme earlier this year.

Man arrested after major drugs seizure in Galway city

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November 17, 2020

Galway Daily news missing teen found safe

A man in his 30s was arrested by gardaí after a stash of drugs and cash was found in the Newcastle area of Galway city last week.

Gardaí uncovered €57,000 worth of drugs and cash in a car in the area at around 1pm on Thursday.

They seized €25,000 worth of heroin, €14,000 worth of cocaine and €18,000 in cash in the search, which was part of an intelligence led operation.

The man has since been released with a file being prepared for the DPP. Gardaí say enquiries are ongoing.

Mugging victim just wanted his €20 back

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November 17, 2020

Galway Daily courts robbery victim just wanted his €20 back

A man who was mugged while getting cash at an ATM in Eyre Square just wanted his €20 back Galway District Court heard this week.

Michael McDonagh (19), pleaded guilty to robbery for taking money from another man who was getting cash out from the ATM at Permanent TSB in Eyre Square in November of last year.

The court heard that on November 28 of 2019, three men came to Galway Garda Station to report a robbery which had just happened in Eyre Square.

McDonagh, with an address at Fana Glas, Ballybane, who was identified on CCTV footage, snatched the cash from the victim’s hand after it was alleged another individual hit him in the face.

He pleaded guilty to that robbery charge on November 9 at Galway District Court, and this week also pleaded to a variety of theft charges, as well as taking a vehicle without authority.

Gardaí contacted the victim of the robbery on Monday, a student from Donegal, after Judge Mary Fahy inquired if he had been canvassed for a victim impact statement.

He said that he did not want to get involved in the court proceedings, and that “his only desire was that he gets his €20 back”. This was gathered by solicitor for the defence Mr John Martin SL, and paid over to Gardaí to be given to the victim.

Also before the court where two min theft matters. On January 21 of this year, McDonagh was caught on camera going through a car parked outside a house at Fionn Uisce, Doughiska, where he stole €720 in cash.

Then, on February 22 he stole a man’s debit card from his van, and tapped it at businesses around the city 11 times that night for a total of €131.11.

The final charge before the court was the unauthorised taking of an off road motorbike, after he was identified on CCTV pushing the bike, which did not belong to him, at an estate in Doughiska.

Mr Martin said that his client had been dealing with severe alcohol and drug addictions, and has no memory of events on the night of the robbery, but held his hands up to it from the first instance.

He is currently serving a nine months sentence which was imposed by Judge Marie Keane in June, and his only desire when he gets out of prison is to focus on his young family Mr Martin said.

Judge Mary Fahy imposed a seven month prison sentence for the robbery, which will be served consecutive to McDonagh’s current prison sentence.

The judge added a further six month consecutive sentence for the theft of €720 from the car, but suspended the sentence in its entirety. All of the other charges received concurrent sentences of one month.

Met Eireann issues weather warning for Galway

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November 17, 2020