Gardaí appeal for public cooperation as Operation Fanacht enters next stage

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October 16, 2020

The manager at Galway University Hospitals has said that she is very concerned about how the increase of Covid-19 patients in hospital will affect patients who don’t have the virus.

Chris Kane said that since early September, the number of Covid cases has increased in Galway and that it is very likely that this will result in more people being hospitalised and needing ICU care.

The hospitals have measures and plans in place to manage further increases, but Chris Kane said that there are still huge concerns.

“While we have managed over the last number of months to resume planned patient procedures and clinics that had been deferred before the summer, maintaining these will become increasingly difficult as the number of COVID-19 positive patients in the hospital increase,” she said.

“Where we can, we are continuing to provide virtual or telephone consultations. Where these are not clinically appropriate we are working really hard to ensure that our patients are safe by reducing the numbers waiting at any given time and staggering our appointments.

“We have implemented a texting system in a number of services to allow patients wait for their appointments in their car which minimises the need for groups of people to congregate in any area.”

The Manager also appealed to the community in Galway City and County to follow the advice provided by the HSE to help slow the spread of the disease.

“We all need to reduce the number of people we interact with, wear a mask and wash our hands and maintain social distance,” she said.

“It has been a really difficult 2020 so far and many have made huge sacrifices but if we want to stop the further spread of this infection we all have to continue do the right thing. It is our individual actions which will have a significant impact on the spread of this virus.”

She added that that the hospital is a very busy campus and those who have to attend should be aware of the importance to ensure social distancing.

“To help us do this, we are asking patients not to attend their appointment early, they should come to the hospital alone unless they need support in which case only one other person should accompany them.

“We also remind everyone of the importance of wearing face masks, washing or sanitising their hands regularly and cough and sneeze etiquette.”

Dr John O’Donnell, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at University Hospital Galway, added that there are high numbers of patients at the Emergency Department in UHG.

“Patients attending the ED are streamed into non COVID-19 and suspect or positive COVID-19 and work is currently underway on site in UHG to increase the space to enable us continue to see patients waiting admission,” said Dr O’Donnell.

“Patients with urgent symptoms of heart attack or stroke or any other serious illness or injury should always come to the Emergency Department and not delay seeking treatment. Non-urgent or routine patients should contact their GP or GP out of hours service in the first instance.

“We are working really hard to ensure that we maintain a safe environment for our patients and staff but we are also dependent on the public doing their part. Again we are asking the people of Galway to follow the HSE’s public health advice to slow the rate of COVID 19 transmission and enable us to continue to deliver critical front line health services.”

Expanded cardiology services rolled out at Galway Primary Care Centres

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October 16, 2020

Galway Daily news Expanded cardiology services coming to Galway Primary Care Centres

New cardiology services have been introduced at three Primary Care Centres in Galway in a joint initiative by Portiuncula Hospital and Galway Primary Care.

Ballinasloe, Mountbellew, and Potumna Primary Care Centres, along with Monksland in Roscommon, will receive new staff and equipment for improved capabilities to diagnose and assess cardiac patients.

It’s hoped that the increased availability of community care will cut down on the number of people need to attend hospital for tests and other assessments.

This is an expansion of the Heart Failure Initiative created by Portiuncula Hospital and Galway Primary Care, and €330,000 has been allocated for the project from the Sláintecare Integration Fund.

An Advanced Nurse Practitioner will also be recruited to support the needs of patients in the community and avoid hospital admission where appropriate.

“We want to be able to provide the same level of hospital clinic care in the community, with follow-up in the hospital as required for any patients whose condition changes,” said Dr Aidan Flynn, Consultant Cardiologist and project lead at Portiuncula.

Heart failure is the most common reason for older people attending hospital he said, and often requires lengthy hospital stays.

“By providing access to cardiac investigations in the community, we can reduce the number of patients who need to be referred to the hospital to see a consultant for diagnosis.”

“It also helps us to monitor patients, keep them well and out of hospital as well as streamline the pathways of care,” Dr Flynn said.

There are two types of cardiac investigations carried out by the Heart Failure Service in the Primary Care Centres.

The first is an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound test to assess the structure and function of the heart muscles and valves.

The other is holter monitoring which is 24 hour continuous recording of the heart’s electrical rhythm to record any irregular heartbeat.

Both tests are essential in helping to diagnose heart failure and to monitor patients’ progress with treatment.

Siobhan Woods, Primary Care Development Officer for Galway and Roscommon said that working together with Portiuncula Hospital on improving these services has been extremely positive.

“The delivery of GP direct access cardiac diagnostics in Primary Care Centres brings care closer to home for service users which is in line with Sláintecare’s aim to deliver a health and social care service that meets the needs of the population.”

Job vacancy: Great opportunity for Senior Industrial Engineer in Galway

By

Angela Mc Bride

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October 16, 2020

GALWAY DAILY news job vacancy sigmar recruitment

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior industrial Engineer. The full-time position is based Galway and the role will involve managing and improving the site space planning process through strong communication and collaboration with each production unit onsite.

The successful applicant will be in a stand-alone position, which requires the candidate to work on their own initiative and to propose options supporting the campus space strategy.

The role will involve reporting to the site Industrial Engineering and Operations Training Manager.

Your responsibilities will include:

Responsible for ensuring that all approved moves align to the Site Strategic Space plan
Manage the portfolio of space moves for the site
Develop and maintain a 5-year Site Strategic Space plan
Initiate or maintain work schedules and priorities for cross departmental space transfers
Provide timely communication on project progress to all relevant cross-functional stakeholders, and across all levels of the organisation, including the senior leadership team
Work with the Industrial Engineering team on the implementation of the Site Strategic Space plan
Identify potential expansion options to meet future business needs for the site
Builds strong relationships and collaborates with Operations, R&D and PD
Align closely with Facilities on all planned changes to the plant and off-site locations
Support the development of the annual Global Facilities Master Plan (GFMP) for the Galway site
Liaise with finance to establish which projects are tracking to plan and how best to manage financial projections (F1, F2, F3, AOP)
Influences, guides, and manages internal/external resources to achieve critical program goals
Lead other site/department projects and programs as required
Manage all Corporate requests regarding current space utilisation and development plans

Your Background/Experience:

BS in Engineering or Science is required at level 8, 240 ETCS credits
A minimum of 6 years’ experience in a similar role.
Must have proven business acumen, effective communication skills, demonstrated track record of project management execution, and leadership experience
Engineering background and experience in medical devices industry preferred with exposure to Strategic Space Planning
Demonstrate communication and influencing skills at the highest levels of management across a cross-functional organisation.
Must have experience managing and leading projects

For more information, please contact Emma on 091 455 307.

For other Jobs in Galway, check out: https://www.sigmarrecruitment.com/

Galway band releases fantastic new upbeat single

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October 16, 2020

galway daily news galway band single collective whisper

Galway band Collective Whisper has released a stunning new upbeat single which serves as a very welcome antidote to the current global situation.

Surprising fans yet again with its original sound, the local band has added to earlier songs with memorable melodies that stand on their own, and the new single is sure to awaken and inspire listeners.

Having been involved in the local music scene for over 15 years, Simon K – the band’s main songwriter and composer – started out busking on the streets of Galway before playing with bands such as The Acousticats, No Alibi, The F.N.G’s, Meta4 and The Wave.

He then worked in Tuam and the surrounding areas as a guitar teacher, and was well known in local circles for his guitar teaching. Simon was also involved in production and songwriting, working with various youth organisations in Tuam, Galway city and Portumna.

Aleksandra, originally from the south west of Poland, moved to Tuam in 2007, three years after her parents had settled in Ireland. She wasn’t able to speak English at the time, and learned it ‘as she went along’.

Although she grew up in Poland, Aleksandra says that she became a different woman in Ireland after learning about a new culture, people, traditions, as well as different beliefs and a new lifestyle.

She says that she was astounded by the friendliness, open-mindedness and the easy-going approach towards life.

“I felt like anything was possible!” said Aleksandra. “People were very welcoming and helpful and most of all, even though the weather was never good in my opinion, somehow they always managed to find the good side of things and so I have learnt to cherish every little thing and feel grateful for what I already have, plus a little smile goes a long way.”

Back in Poland, Aleksandra had never thought about joining a band. She did most of her singing in the shower, but when she experienced the Irish approach towards the music – how fun, exciting, beautiful, easy-going and non-judgemental it was – she gained the courage to challenge herself and join the band.

Aleksandra adds a uniquely multicultural style to Collective Whisper – her vocals are mesmerising and instantly captivating.

Simon and Aleksandra moved to Madrid in 2013, taking a break from music for a while – but they now feel inspired to start again, and want to release all the music they had tucked away, waiting to be heard.

Collective Whisper’s songs are about love, loss and life and each one tells a different story and after their extended hiatus, they have returned with a bang, with a fresh sound to lift people’s spirits and give them a ‘reason to believe’ in something.

The band’s first debut EP ‘Reason to believe’ released in 2010 received major acclaim, inspiring many fans around the globe. The band’s debut EP is available in all stores, and this year they plan to release more new, unforgettable singles.

If ever there was a time to listen to the Collective Whisper, it is now. The band which originated in Galway is an exciting band with a mix of rock, pop and acoustic music that will leave you wanting more and more.

Check out Collective Whisper on Spotify and their website.

For those who haven’t already heard it, here’s their fantastic new single, released last week, called Some 1.

NPHET recommends entire country move to Level 5

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October 16, 2020

Galway daily news COVID-19 cases more than double at UHG

NPHET is recommending that the entire country be put to Level 5 restrictions for a period of six weeks after an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases in recent days.

The Irish Times reports that NPHET made the recommendation to go to Level 5 to the government after a meeting on Thursday.

Galway is currently at Level 3 along with most of the country, with additional restrictions on household visits, while counties Cavan, Monaghan, and Donegal are at Level 4.

Yesterday there were 97 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Galway, the largest single day increase seen in the county since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, out of 1,205 cases nationwide.

Galway City Central has the 4th highest 14-day incidence rate of any Local Electoral Area in the country according to the latest data up to October 12.

On Thursday Prof Philip Nolan, chair of NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, warned that by the end of the month there could be as many as 2,500 daily cases.

Current trends would also see over 400 people in hospital Prof Nolan warned, where there were 241 people hospitalised with COVID-19 as of yesterday.

Dr Tony Holohan said on Thursday that “all key indicators” of COVID-19 had accelerated since the last meeting of NPHET.

“The number of hospitalisations are increasing faster than the exponential growth modelling predicted. This indicates a rapidly deteriorating disease trajectory nationally.”

Moving to Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 would mean no social or organised gatherings, indoors or outdoors.

People would be asked to stay home, with no travel beyond 5km from your residence.

All but essential retail outlets would be closed, and pubs, cafés, and restaurants would be allowed to offer takeaway services only.

As the number of daily cases of COVID-19 continues to climb Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer at the HSE, has warned that the health service is in a very different position that it was earlier this year.

“we are trying to suppress COVID-19 while maintaining our non-COVID services and providing safe environments in our acute settings,” Dr Henry said.

“The higher the community transmission the more difficult it is to protect medically vulnerably people in all heathcare settings.”

Man stole over €30,000 from employer who saw him as family

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October 16, 2020

Galway Daily courts Man sent to trial charged with pulling knife on Garda

A Tuam man who stole over €30,000 from his long time employer, who said he trusted and loved him like a member of his family, could face 4 years in jail if he doesn’t pay it back in full.

Donal Carr (32), of Cloghan’s Hill, Tuam, admitted to stealing €30,935 from the Brogue Bar in Tuam, where he had been an employed as a barman for over 15 years.

Carr had originally faced a plethora of burglary and theft charges, but pleaded guilty to a smaller number of offences last November 7.

At a sentencing hearing this week Garda Alan Sheerin told Galway Circuit Court that on January 29 of 2019, Gardaí received a complaint from Brendan Holian, owner of the Brogue, that he had seen Carr enter a room in the premises where employees are not supposed to have access, and take money from the safe.

On February 3, Mr Holian was again alerted to Carr entering his office and taking money from the safe, money which he had marked with a fluorescent pen. Holian captured the incident on CCTV, which he was able to monitor remotely from home.

He called the Gardaí, who apprehended Carr leaving the premises, and found him with €1,200 worth of marked €50 bills on him.

He was taken to Tuam Garda Station, where he admitted he stole from the business on multiple occasions in previous months, and when a further six incidents caught on CCTV were shown to him, he admitted to those as well.

In total, Carr stole €30,935 from the business, and used that money to buy a car, a tractor, and a garden shed the Circuit Court heard.

“The only reason he could give for doing so was that it had become a bit of a habit,” Garda Sheerin said.

The impact that this monumental act of theft has had on his business and family has been “phenomenally bad”, Mr Holian said, adding that the breach of trust was devastating, because Carr was “practically part of out family”.

“Donall Carr was to me a member of our family. He was the most trusted member of staff we ever had.” But his actions almost destroyed their business, “It nearly ruined us. It nearly closed us.”

Carr was such a reliable figure that when he first began to notice money going missing, Holian went to him to ask who he thought it might be, and Carr would cast aspersions on other staff members.

What hurt the most Holian said, was that the thefts were apparently just for the sake of “self-gratification”, and that “there was no offer of compensation, there was no apology, nothing.”

After Carr pleaded guilty last November there was an offer made of €7,500, but Holian said that he refused it because they were so hurt, and felt that Carr could pay them back in full by selling off the stuff he had bought with the “proceeds of crime”.

He said the crimes were clearly premeditated, and Carr was extremely comfortable in the office, where no employee was ever supposed to be, with CCTV showing him putting his feet up on the office desk during one of his thefts.

Despite this, Holian generously said this has never been about sending anyone to jail for him. “I don’t wish him ill for his life at all, I loved him,” he said of Carr.

€9,150 in compensation has been put forward in total so far Holian said, which Defence Barrister Ms Deirdre Brown said includes €7,500 raised by his family, adding that Carr intends to pay back the full amount he stole.

Ms Browne said that Carr is apologising for his actions now, and is ashamed of the breach of trust.

Carr has been putting forward €200 a week towards compensation now she added, and the tractor has been put up for sale by his family.

Ms Browne claimed that Carr has a scratch card gambling addiction which was unknown to his family, and even to his legal team the last time this was before the court.

Judge Rory McCabe said “The whole point of the criminal justice system is to find where the truth lies”, noting that the defence are bound by their client’s instructions regarding his gambling addiction.

The judge indicated that he had a four year prison sentence in mind, but said that if he imposed that immediately, there was no possibility of the Holians being recompensed for their losses.

“I’m conscious of the fact that if I send him to jail, that’ll be the end of any chance of these people getting their money back.”

If it comes down to selling property or borrowing money to pay back what he stole, then that is what he will have to do to satisfy the court, Judge McCabe said.

Judge McCabe adjourned the case to October 11 of 2021, with the warning that “If he comes in here in a year and he hasn’t made a serious attempt, he can bring his pyjamas because he won’t be going home.”

In the interim, Carr will be under the supervision of the probation services, who will determine if there is “any truth” to his claims of a gambling addiction.

Final call for applications to Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund

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October 16, 2020

Non-profit organisations in Galway have been reminded that funding is available for projects which support young people’s health and wellbeing, through the Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund.

The application deadline has been extended until midnight on Friday 23 October, giving eligible organisations just over a week to apply.

The Vhi Health and Wellbeing Fund is looking to fund initiatives that seek to strengthen resilience in young people and help them manage anxiety.

It is open to applications from non-profit charity organisations based in Galway, Donegal, Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny and Limerick who work directly with young people or with adults who surround them.

The emphasis will be on early intervention and prevention for young people and grants of €5K and €10K will be available through the Fund.

“At Vhi, our mission is to help our customers live longer, stronger, healthier lives but we also want our local communities to have the opportunity to achieve this goal too,” said John O’ Dwyer, Chief Executive of Vhi.

“We’ve had a long partnership with the Irish Youth Foundation and were delighted to be in a position to launch this Fund earlier this year.

“The impact of recent months has meant that some critical supports for the young people in this country have been impacted.

“Through this funding we want to be able to support non-profit organisations continue to provide the vital supports they do for young people. I’d encourage all eligible organisations to apply.”

Research undertaken by the Irish Youth Foundation in August found that three in four youth leaders are now seeing an increase in the number of young people needing their support.

This comes at a time when 68% of groups are experiencing a drop in funding levels due to Covid-19.

“The Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund has been launched at a critical time for the youth sector,” Lucy Masterson, CEO, Irish Youth Foundation.

“As the coming months remain uncertain for us all we know that those most vulnerable in our society need our continued support to ensure they survive this period.

“This fund is focused on providing supports to organisations who need it most and for those who have a focus on supporting the health and wellbeing of our young people.

“We’ve had great interest in the fund and I’d encourage everyone to avail of the application extension being announced today and get your application in. There’s still time and the funding could make an impact for the young people in your community.”

The Vhi Health and Wellbeing Fund is open to not-for-project or charitable organisations that are seeking to deliver projects dedicated to supporting the resilience of young people aged 12-25 years old.

Knocknacarra apartment is a great rental investment

By

Angela Mc Bride

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October 16, 2020

galway daily property o'donnellan & joyce

Situated just a few kilometres from Galway City Centre and Salthill, this apartment is within close proximity to the very best the city has to offer.

O’Donnellan & Joyce are selling 40 Altan, a three bedroom apartment just west of the city, by live stream auction on 30 October at 12 noon.

The apartment is located on the third floor of the building, overlooking the Western Distributor Road and directly opposite the West District Centre which houses retail stores such as Dunnes Stores, B&Q and Next.

The property itself is 51.12 m² and accessed through a secure communal entrance on the ground floor which has a lift. There is one parking space included in the property.

Inside the apartment, the kitchen is fitted with a tiled floor, and has a washing machine and an electric cooker/ oven. The living room is of a decent size, with a door leading to the balcony.

The advised minimum value of 40 Altan on the Western Distributor Road is €150,000.

The complex is maintained by Tarpey Maloney Management Ltd Galway. Management fees are in the region of €1,400 per annum.

The property will be auctioned on 30 October at 12:00, noon. Register to bid on odonnjoyce.com.

To find out more, visit: https://property.odonnjoyce.com/residential/brochure/40-altan-western-distributor-road-galway-city-galway/4375048

To see more houses in Galway, visit: https://www.odonnjoyce.com/

Corrandulla band headlining Irish trad music festival in London

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October 16, 2020

Galway Daily music Corrandulla band headlining Irish trad music festival in London

A family of trad musicians from Corrandulla will be one of the headline acts at the opening of the 22nd annual Irish traditional dance and music festival in London.

The Return to London Town Festival with a mix of virtually streamed and socially distanced concerts and workshops on the weekend of October 23 – 25.

The Gavin family from Corrandulla, siblings Seán, Noreen, and Frankie, will open the festival with a ‘Trad Cinema’ concert screening at BFI IMAX Waterloo on Friday evening.

Sean Gavin, the eldest of the family, is an all-Ireland champion on the button accordion who has toured extensively throughout Europe, America, and Asia.

In 2011 he received a Gradam an Chomhaltas medallion having being invited to participate in the Button Accordion Championships in Tullamore on the 60th anniversary of the founding of Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann.

Noreen has been playing the tin whistle since she was five years old, and is regarded as one of the most legendary traditional players in the country.

With a strong belief in passing these skills onto the next generation, Noreen has been teaching music in Connemara for more than 30 years.

She has also released a CD ‘The Quiet House’ of rare traditional tunes plus three of her own compositions.

Frankie Gavin, is the youngest member of the family, who largely taught himself the fiddle from a very young age.

At the age of six, Frankie played for president Kennedy when he visited Ireland in 1963, and 50 years later he played for Catherine Kennedy, along with his sister and brother, when she came to open the the national Library’s exhibition commemorating the four days her father spent in Ireland.

In 1973 at the age of seventeen, he won the All Ireland Under 18 fiddle and flute competition on the same day, and later went on to play with the trad music legends De Dannan.

The Return to London Town Music Festival has been in planning for some months now, with arrangements remaining flexible for COVID-19 restrictions.

The opening concert will feature performances and short interviews by Dervish/Noreen O’Sullivan, Seán and Frankie Gavin with George Grasso/ Gatehouse.

The full programme of events for the festival can be viewed online here: https://www.returntocamden.org/

Galway software company provides unique solution for online psychiatry exams

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October 16, 2020

Galway Daily news Galway software company provides unique solution for online psychiatry exams

A Galway company is supplying uniquely suitable software to allow final year Psychiatry students at UCD to take their clinical skills exams remotely.

NUI Galway spinout company Qpercom has supplied unique video technology that is allowing over 200 psychiatry students at UCD to take their four stage clinicals skills exams online.

These Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) exams are meant to test the clinical skills picked up during their hospital placements, and would ordinarily take place in a face to face setting, but cannot due so due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Dr Thomas Kropmans, CEO of Qpercom and lecturer at NUIG said that while Zoom, MS Teams and Google Meet have changed the playing field in communications and work meetings lately, they are not suitable for all scenarios.

“This particular exam requires a flow of students going through a series of consecutive stations – video rooms – with simulated patients or actors and their examiner.”

This is something that he says their platform Observe can accomplish easily in a way that other software solutions can’t.

Professor Allys Guérandel, Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Professor at UCD, said that these exams are crucial for ensuring that their students are fully competent and assessed for practicing clinical medicine.

“We have been using Qpercom software since 2013 to effectively support our OSCE but adopting Qpercom‘s video integration software solution for assessment in Sept 2020 allowed us to carry out our usual clinical assessment to the highest standard, albeit within an online framework.”

Dave Cunningham, CTO and Co-Founder of Qpercom, said that there are major logistical and technological challenges involved with finding a solution that matches the exam format.

They have to be able to provide a platform that allows students to move from one video station to the next, while other parties participate remotely and retrieve data. “But they are challenges which we believe we have solved using Qpercom Observe”.

Repairs continue on major burst water main in Athenry

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October 16, 2020

Galway Daily news Water outages in Moycullen

Repairs are continuing this morning on a major burst water main which is causing outages in multiple neighbourhoods in Athenry.

The burst main on the Tuam Road, Athenry was reported on Thursday, but the

Properties in the following areas may be impacted by disruption to their supply while the repairs are underway; Lambert Court, Dún Rí, Cullairbaun, Parklands, Árd Esker, Cáislean Rí, Garraí Glas, Tuam Road, Athenry and surrounding areas.

The repair works are expected to be completed during Friday morning, but it may take 1 – 2 hours after this before full water supply is restored to affected premises.

A traffic management plan will be in place for the duration of the repair works.

“Irish Water is working at this time, with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services.”

“Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing,” a statement from the utility provider said.

Updates can be found on Irish Water’s Supply and Service page, or through the @IWCare twitter account.

One Galway electoral area has 4th highest Covid incidence rate in Republic

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October 15, 2020

galway daily news covid-19 county galway 14-day rate

The 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 has increased in eight of the ten Local Electoral Areas in Co. Galway, according to new data released this evening.

Galway City Central LEA’s rate has more than doubled since last week to 550.5 cases per 100,000 people, which is higher than most LEAs in Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan. It now has the fourth highest incidence rate in the State.

A total of 147 cases were confirmed in Galway City Central LEA in the fourteen days prior to 12 October.

There were also increases in Galway City West and Galway City East, which now have 14-day incidence rates of 220.7 and 188 respectively.

In Conamara South, there were 24 confirmed cases in two weeks, meaning their incidence rate has quadrupled to 112.5.

Meanwhile in Conamara North, the number is the same as last week’s – 46.5 cases per 100,000 people, with eight confirmed cases over the last fortnight.

Gort-Kinvara bucked the trend once again, with a decrease in the rate there for the second week in a row, down from 102.1 to 97.9.

At the other end of the table, Ballinasloe LEA still has the lowest rate in the county, with just 42.7 cases per 100,000 people – however this has doubled since last week.

The data, which is released weekly, shows that the rate for the Republic of Ireland on 12 October was 177.2 up from 116.4 last week.

Galway City Central: 550.5 cases per 100,000 people (+ 333.3 since last week) | 147 cases (+89)

2. Galway City East: 188 (+ 75.2) | 50 cases (+20)

3. Galway City West: 220.7 (+ 122.2) | 56 cases (+26)

4. Tuam: 126.5 (+ 21) | 42 cases (+7)

5. Athenry – Oranmore: 115.7 (+ 36.5) | 38 cases (+12)

6. Conamara South: 112.5 (+84.4) | 24 cases (+18)

7. Gort- Kinvara: 97.9 (- 4.2) | 23 cases (-1)

8. Loughrea: 64.6 (+ 25) | 15 cases (+3)

9. Conamara North: 46.5 (-) | 8 cases (-)

10. Ballinasloe: 42.7 (+ 21.4) | 12 cases (+6)

Ballinasloe man faces prison for sexual assault of friend’s 16 year old daughter

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October 15, 2020

Galway Daily courts Man receives jail sentence for racial abuse

A Ballinasloe man faces three years in jail for sexual assault on a then 16 year old girl, the daughter of his friend of more than 20 years.

Laurence Finn (65), of Gurteen, Ballinasloe, pleaded guilty to a single account of sexual assault on a teenage girl, committed in her own bedroom on July 22 of 2016.

The case was originally listed for hearing in March of 2018, before being put back to November of last year, when Finn entered his plea.

At a sentencing hearing in Galway Circuit Court, Lisa Dunleavy, who was 16 at the time this occurred, waved her legal right to anonymity in order so that Finn could be named publicly.

That morning at around 10:30am Finn, who had been a friend of the family for more than 20 years and was a frequent visitor to their house at Castlebeg, Ballinalsoe, came into the bedroom of Lisa Dunleavy, where her 11 year old sister was also present Detective Adrian Feehily told the Circuit Court

He sat on her bed and kissed her on the cheek, and also groped her under her pyjamas, placing a hand on her back under her top and putting a hand beneath her underwear

She repeatedly told him to stop, but Finn was “laughing at the time, as if it was a joke” Detective Feehily told the court.

She again told him to stop and jumped out of the bed, and at that point Finn went into the kitchen, before asking her for a hug. She then told him to leave, which he did.

Lisa immediately told her mother and father what had happened when they returned home, and Finn was invited to their house for a confrontation.

They threatened to go to the Gardaí if he did not seek help, but he refused, so a formal criminal complaint was lodged.

In a victim impact statement she delivered to the court, Lisa said that in the aftermath of this she had to deal with preparing for the Leaving Cert in “a small community where everyone had heard what happened.”

“All my friends were talking about it, but no-one talked to me about it,” she said, visibly upset, adding that she sometimes “disgusted” with her own body.

It was extremely distressing to have her medical records sought in this case, she said, and the added delay when her mother’s records were sought made it even worse.

Adding to the upset of dealing with this, she works at a takeaway in Ballinasloe where Finn has come in twice since the sexual assault took place.

The incident was also highly upsetting to her parents, who felt they had failed to protect her she said.

Prior to this her father had worked with Finn, who is a bus driver, for over twenty years, and their two families are related through marriage.

Mr Bernard Madden SC, barrister for the defence, said that Finn’s life has “changed fundamentally” since this crime, as three of his six adult children have not spoken to him since.

He has suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts, and has been on anti-depressants the defence said, and has expressed remorse for his actions.

A psychologist’s report shows that Finn does not hit most of the factors on a risk profile for sex offenders Mr Madden said, adding that his client is not at risk of reoffending.

Mr Madden asked the judge to take into consideration his guilty plea, his age, his apology, and acceptance of guilt when sentencing.

Judge Rory McCabe said “This man came into the house where his victim lives. He went into her bedroom, and then he groped her. There’s no easier way to put it. Even in the face of her objections he continued.”

Making things even worse Judge McCabe added, was that the relationship between their families was “one of trust. Which he chose to break,” and the fact that, “he didn’t seem to think at the time that there was anything wrong with what he was doing”.

Judge McCabe said a three year prison sentence would be appropriate for this crime, but that he would wait to decide how to structure this sentence after Finn has been under the supervision of the probation services for a year.

The probation services had said in their report that he is considered to be a low risk of re-offending if he undertakes therapy, and suggested that he should be assessed after this step is taken.

Judge King noted that the advice of the probation services should only be disregarded at “great care”, and put Finn under their supervision until October 11, 2021.

During this time he is to have no contact with the victim of her family in any fashion, and must attend cognitive behaviour therapy and be assessed for sex offender therapy.

Finn has also automatically been placed on the Sex Offenders Register with immediate effect.

Local charity’s office destroyed by thieves

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October 15, 2020

galway daily news act for meningitis galway

A fundraiser has been set up to support local charity ACT for Meningitis after its office in Galway was broken into and destroyed over the weekend.

Almost three thousand euro has been raised so far for the charity in the fundraising campaign, and countless people have offered their support.

After breaking in through the ceiling at their office at Ballybane Industrial Estate, the thieves ‘wrecked the place’ looking for cash, causing thousands of euro in damage.

The ACT for Meningitis team said that they were “absolutely heartbroken” when they saw the office completely ransacked.

“At a time when we are all struggling to keep afloat and help others, this has been another devastating blow to our charity,” said ACT for Meningitis in a social media post.

“Thankfully we would never leave large amounts of cash or anything of value here but they did take off with the office donation box and left behind thousands of euros in damage.”

The charity works to rebuild lives and support anyone affected by Meningitis, while also raising awareness of the disease.

The fundraiser can be found HERE.

Coronavirus: 97 COVID-19 cases in Galway today

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October 15, 2020

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

There have been three additional deaths related to COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today, along with 1,205 new confirmed cases.

Of today’s cases 97 are in Galway, almost double the level reported yesterday, and the fourth highest number in the country behind Dublin (288), Cork (173), and Meath (123).

There have now been a total of 46,429 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, and the pandemic has claimed 1,838 lives.

There were 29 patients in the ICU as of 2pm today, out of 241 hospitalised with COVID-19. In the past 24 hours there have been 24 people hospitalised.

“There has been further increases across all key indicators of COVID-19 and the growth rate of the epidemic has accelerated since NPHET last met,” said Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer.

The number of cases notified in the past seven days is 82% higher than the week prior he said, and the positivity rate in the past week is now 6.2%, and continuing to rise.

The 14-day incidence rate for people over the age of 65 has also climbed from 92.9 to 125 per 100,000 since October 7.

“The number of hospitalisations are increasing faster than the exponential growth modelling predicted. This indicates a rapidly deteriorating disease trajectory nationally,” Dr Holohan warned.

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

Of the cases notified today:

614 are men / 590 are women
71% are under 45 years of age
the median age is 34 years old
288 in Dublin, 173 Cork, 123 in Meath, 97 in Galway 63 in Cavan and the remaining 461 cases are spread across all remaining counties

“Our priorities remain focused on protecting the medically and socially vulnerable, protecting childcare and education settings and preventing unnecessary disruption to non-COVID health and social care services,” said Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer with the HSE, warned that the challenge is far greater than earlier this year, as they are trying to manage the COVID situation, while also continuing other healthcare services.

“The higher the community transmission the more difficult it is to protect medically vulnerably people in all heathcare settings. We appeal to everyone to play their part in protecting patients, healthcare workers and frontline services.”

More than 2,200 homes in east Galway without electricity

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October 15, 2020

Galway Daily news SHundreds of homes remain without power in Galway after severe weather

There are currently more than 2,200 homes and businesses in different parts of East Galway which are without electricity this afternoon.

The separate faults in the Glenamaddy are are causing power outages to a combined 1,496 homes and business, which the ESB is currently estimating will be repaired by 5pm this evening.

Another fault in the Ballygar area, which earlier today was affecting the electricity to just under 500 homes, is now causing power outages to 782 premises.

The estimated time for repairs to be completed here given by the ESB is now 6:30pm in Thursday.

The ESB has been dealing with faults in East Galway and Roscommon throughout today, which peaked in the morning when more than 15,000 properties were affected.

Updates can be found on the ESB’s powercheck website page.

Appeal lodged against Knocknacarra Lidl plans once again

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October 15, 2020

Galway Daily news Green light for new Lidl supermarket in Moycullen

Plans for the construction of a new Lidl discount supermarket in Knocknacarra have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála once again.

In September, Galway City Council granted approval for a mixed use development consisting of a new Lidl store, and multiple other commercial units, at the junction of Bothar Stiofáin and the Western Distributor Road.

The development will consist of a part one-storey, part two-storey building with a total floor space of 2,694sqm.

This includes a Lidl supermarket, a café/restaurant, a barbers, a nail bar, a physiotherapy clinic, and associated communal areas.

The store will be served by 87 car parking spaces, with vehicle access via a link road to the north of the site, connecting with Bothar Stiofáin.

This was the second time the city council had approved plans for a new Lidl store on this site, after a similar application was struck down on an appeal by the Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association in May of 2019

This fresh approval has now been subject to two separate appeals to An Bord Pleanála. One by the RGDATA, appealing the entire project, and by Lidl Ireland itself, who are seeking to have a condition of the planning approval amended.

In appealing the development, RGDATA said that it is concerned about the proliferation of discount stores in Galway City suburbs, and the “cumulative effect” they might have on the viability of the city centre.

“If left unchecked, the high growth rate of discount stores is likely to result in a significant adverse retail impact on the city centre and existing centres,” the appeal states.

“In this context, we consider there is a need to appeal these applications to An Bord Pleanála, in order to safeguard the future retail primacy, vitality and viability of Galway City Centre, as espoused in the City Development Plan and the Retail Planning Guidelines.”

The appeal cites the impact of COVID-19 on city centre retail, the “over proliferation” of large scale discount stores in the area, and claims that the Retail Impact Assessment was inadequate, as is the provision of parking on site.

Lidl, for their park, are seeking to have Condition 3 of the grant of planning permission amended to remove language stating that: “the café and retail units shall be capable of being opened and operable at the same time as the opening of the main supermarket/retail store”.

Lidl as seeks to have all mentions of the term “retail” unit in Condition3 changed to “commercial”, as it says this language is inflexible, and could cause difficulties with prospective tenants.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a ruling on this planning appeal by February 17 of 2021.

Twelve people in Galway hospitals now with Covid-19

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October 15, 2020

Twelve people who are currently in Galway hospitals have tested positive for Covid-19, but none of them are in ICU, according to the latest data

The newest figures show that there are ten people with the disease at University Hospital Galway and two Covid-19 patients at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

In UHG, there also seven suspected cases of Covid-19, while there is one additional suspected case in Portiuncula.

On Sunday, there were just two people in hospital with Covid-19 in Galway.

The data also shows that UHG now has nine general beds available and three ICU beds – and there are no confirmed or suspected Covid patients in critical care at the hospital, as of yesterday evening.

The Republic of Ireland recorded its highest number of cases since the start of the pandemic yesterday, as well as five deaths related to the disease.

SEAI welcomes “historic investment” in sustainable energy in Budget 2021

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October 15, 2020