Water outages in Attymon due to burst mains today

If you’re looking for ideas of where to spend your next long weekend away, whenever that may be, then have you by any chance, considered Ireland?

If not, then you really should, as it is a truly stunning part of the world that is home to many of the British Isle’s most popular landmarks and tourist attractions.

Not only that, but the Irish sure do love their craic and you’ll instantly be made to feel welcome and at home to second you touch down.

Now, Ireland may be famous for its Guinness, its lush countryside, its dramatic coastlines, and its friendly hospitality, but it is also a haven for those of you who can’t get enough gambling in your lives. If you love a casino, Ireland is the place to be, be it through casino sites or through physical locations/

Here’s a look at 3 of the best casinos in Ireland.

The Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club

First up for you today, we have the Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club in Dublin.

Dublin, as you may have heard through the grapevine, is a fantastic day out and an even better night out. Nobody knows how to party quite like the Irish, and in Dublin, they really know how to have a fantastic time.

When you aren’t seeing the sights and partying, though, you may instead wish to visit Dublin so as to gamble at the Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club.

Known as Dublin’s favourite casino, this casino in the heart of Dublin has been going strong for over thirty years now.

Here you will find all of your favourite games, as well as tournaments and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, along with the largest card room in the capital.

Caesar’s Palace

Next up we have Caesar’s Palace, and although it’s not quite Vegas, those that have visited before would agree that it isn’t too far off.

Caesar’s Palace in the Emerald Isle of Galway is considered by many to be one of Ireland’s most popular casinos.

Here you’ll find your casino favourites, although it is particularly popular amongst bingo players, as it is home to a lavish 200-seater bingo hall which is open seven days a week.

The Sporting Emporium

And finally, the last bricks and mortar casino we have for you today is the Sporting Emporium, located in Dublin.

This is a very upmarket casino that is about as close as you can get to Vegas without, you know, actually visiting Vegas.

The Sporting Emporium is known by locals as the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and is actually the only casino in Ireland where you can play the Money Wheel and Blackjack for free.

If you are feeling lucky and want to play for real money, you’ll find all of the usual suspects here, including Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, and many more, all in luxurious surroundings.

Online casinos

Before we wrap things up, honourable mention must of course go to the many online casinos now popular in Ireland.

Not everybody has the time or energy to get dolled up and visit casinos in person, which is why online casinos you can visit on your phone, tablet, laptop, or computer are the perfect alternative.

“Unseasonably wet and windy” weather forecast this week

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August 18, 2020

galway daily weather "Unseasonably wet and windy" weather forecast this week

After a rough and uncertain weekend and Monday, weather conditions are not looking likely to come back to their summer best this week.

Met Eireann has issued a Weather Advisory that “unseasonably wet and windy” are expected throughout this week.

It follows on from multiple Status Yellow warnings in place over the weekend and on Monday, covering half of the country including Galway.

Most recently, a status yellow alert for thundery rain with the possibility of localised flooding was in place all through Monday, and only expired at 7am this morning.

The alert covered the entire southern half of Ireland, but it was the southern most counties that were worst impacted, with flooding causing severe damage to many roads in Cork.

It’s likely that there will be further weather warnings for heavy rainfall this week, Met Eireann has said, with wind warnings also possible.

There are no weather warnings in effect at the moment, or currently issued for the coming days.

However, Met Eireann’s advisory does warn that “Windy weather on Thursday and Friday may result in unsafe conditions over high ground, lakes and sea areas.”

In Galway today bright spells are expected mixed in with scattered showers in the early afternoon, but clearing up and getting sunnier later.

Highest temperatures today will reach 20 degrees, with a light southwesterly wind turning variable later in the day.

Funding for public health measures on school buses “pitiful” says CTTC

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August 18, 2020

Galway Daily news Public consultation opens on Cross-City Link bus corridor

Private bus and coach operators have criticised the “pitiful” amount of funding that Bus Eireann is providing to help with COVID-19 safety protocols on school buses.

The Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC) has said that private bus companies have been offered between €4.50 and €8.50 per day by Bus Eireann for enhanced santisation, cleaning and the provision of PPE on school buses across all routes.

On July 27, Minister for Education Norma Foley announced “Additional funding of €11.3 million has been provided as part of the package today to support hygiene, PPE and cleaning requirements,” for school transport schemes.

The CTTC has said that it is estimated that roughly €5.5 million of this will be provided to private operators of school buses over the school period of 39 weeks.

Chairman of the CTTC John Halpenny said that they welcome the government’s recognition that extensive measures will be required to ensure the safety of passengers and staff on school buses.

However, he added that they are “surprised and bemused” by the level of financial assistance Bus Eireann is offering to help private operators with expenses in meeting these standards.

He said it is “totally unsatisfactory” that the amount offered falls far short of the costs that private bus operators expect to incur on increased hygiene requirements.

“Offering as little as €4.50 a day to operators to deep clean and sanitise school buses, and provide PPE fails to recognise the considerable expense our members will have to go to.”

“Operators are desperate to get back in motion again after a long lay-off and they are fully committed to upholding the highest possible safety standards but we have to face the reality.”

“Every operator is under severe pressure and this pitiful allowance serves to only exploit their precarious position.”

“We have made our concerns known to Bus Eireann which regretfully has fallen on deaf ears and this is most disappointing when safety is at the core of the issue.”

The CTTC is Ireland’s largest representative body for coach touring companies, and private bus operators, of which there are 1,721 in Ireland, carrying 75 million passengers a year, and supporting 11,457 jobs in the country.

The representative body is asking Bus Eireann to engage with them on talks to resolve these issues, and claims the they have thus far refused to do so.

This is not the only area where concerns have been raised about the issues facing school bus operators when the new year begins.

Galway-Roscommon TD Denis Naughten said recently that operators who are not contracted by Bus Eireann haven’t only costs to worry about, but have been left entirely without government guidance.

Students at the post-primary level will be required to wear face coverings if they are using a school bus for transport.

Several other measures were briefly outlined in the Reopening Our Schools: The Roadmap for The Full Return to School, such as always sitting in preassigned seating next to a sibling or someone in the same class.

However, while Bus Eireann has been distributing more detailed guidance documents to its contractors, there has been “absolutely no advice” given to operators of school buses outside that system.

“Not only do they need guidance and support but they also need assistance in sanitising their buses just like those that are contracted to Bus Éireann.”

Roadworks disrupting Glenamaddy traffic for over a week

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August 18, 2020

Galway Daily news Roadworks to disrupt traffic near Portumna on Tuesday

Roadworks expected to last more than a week are disrupting traffic in Glenmaddy from today, having gotten underway this morning.

Galway County Council is carrying out resurfacing overlay works on both of the main roads in Glenamaddy, the R364 and R362.

These works are expected to take 8 days in total to complete, with traffic management in place on the weekdays when work is underway.

A Stop/Go system will be in place to facilitate this work from 8am to 6pm on Tuesday, August 18 until Thursday, August 27 inclusive.

As a consequence, users of this road should allow additional time for their journeys.

Roadworks will also be taking place near Mountbellew for three days this week.

Three days of resurfacing overlay works are taking place on the L-7274 road at Graiguenavaddoge from today.

In order to facilitate these works the road in question will be detoured between 8am and 6pm each day.

Harrington Concrete & Quarries is acting on behalf of Galway County Council in both instances.

Coronavirus: 56 new cases today in 12 counties including Galway

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August 17, 2020

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

No further deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported today, and 56 new cases have been confirmed.

The majority of cases (39) are in Dublin and Kildare – and the remaining 17 cases are spread across ten counties including Galway.

A total of 27,313 people have now tested positive for the virus across the State, while the number of deaths remains 1,774.

Of today’s cases, 29 are men and 27 are women, while 79% are under 45 years of age.

Twelve cases have been identified as community transmission and 35 are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case.

The HSE says that it is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

The National Public Health Emergency Team is meeting this evening to consider further recommendations for Government.

Delays in Covid testing could have serious implications for childcare settings

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August 17, 2020

Galway Daily news Budget 2022: Childcare providers say not enough done to address costs

Concerns have been raised that any delays in Covid-19 testing will have serious implications for childcare settings across the country.

Early Childhood Ireland has said that delays in testing could have a serious knock-on effect on staffing levels.

Over 1,500 providers have already reopened in line with government guidelines around the staffing of ‘play-pods’.

A further 3,000 creches and afterschool care providers expected to reopen from next week.

Commenting today on reports of delays to Covid-19 testing, Teresa Heeney, CEO at Early Childhood Ireland, says that the implications for the sector could be critical.

“Generally, we’ve witnessed a smooth reopening of the childcare sector over the past few months, however the full reopening of early years and afterschool providers from as early next week will present further challenges and Early Childhood Ireland is concerned that any delays in testing could have a serious knock-on effect on staffing levels,” she said.

“We’re told that testing occurs, on average, within 48 hours, however with the reported delays, childcare staff who display symptoms could be waiting up a week to be tested and to receive results.

“Having staff out for such a duration would put huge pressure on childcare providers’ ability to maintain the legal staff to child ratios and would also be a huge public health concern.”

Teresa Heeney says that this has a knock-on effect on providers being able to keep specific rooms open, and potentially the entire setting functioning fully.

Over 1,500 providers have already reopened in line with government guidelines around the staffing of ‘play-pods’.

A further 3,000 creches and after school care providers expected to reopen from next week.

The Early Childhood Ireland CEO added that members are adhering to every health and safety guideline to combat the risk of community transmission.

“But for that to be effective, we must be able to rely on timely testing and contact tracing to be carried out when it is needed.

“The teachers unions have highlighted the need for rapid access to testing for their staff if the reopening of schools is to be managed and maintained safely.

Early Childhood Ireland would echo this need for fast track testing for the early years and school-age care sector if we are to keep staff and children safe and to reduce the risk of any sustainability issues within our vital sector.”

Public warned about receiving weird, unsolicited parcels of seeds in the post

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August 17, 2020

galway daily seeds packages parcels ireland brushing scam

People have been urged to contact the Department of Agriculture if they receive unsolicited parcels of seeds in the post.

This comes after the Department received 32 reports of people receiving the bizarre packages.

It is likely that the seeds are being posted out as part of a ‘brushing’ scam – where companies send out parcels as part of fake orders.

The packages containing seeds are being posted from China and Vanuatu in the South Pacific.

People have been warned against planting the seeds, as they might be invasive and they might contain diseases. This could affect the agricultural industry and biodiversity.

Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett has urged people not to plant or compost the seeds.

“Retain the packaging and email plantimports@agriculture.gov.ie for details on what to do,” said the Green Party senator.

Rape seed, petunia, kiwi and bamboo are among the seeds that have been sent to Irish homes so far.

All 50 US states have issued warnings about similar packages of seeds coming from China.

The United States Department of Agriculture said: “At this time, we don’t have any evidence indicating this is something other than a ‘brushing scam’ where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales.”

National Lottery reveals town where winning ticket was sold

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August 17, 2020

As the search continues for the winner of Saturday’s jackpot, the National Lottery has revealed that the winning ticket was sold in Clifden.

The lucky player will be €7,337,744 better off when they claim their prize after getting six numbers and the bonus in the weekend draw.

The numbers were 3, 7, 18, 36, 40 and 42 and the bonus number was 16. The winning store will be announced tomorrow.

A spokesperson for the National Lottery said: “We can reveal that this winning ticket worth more than €7.3 million was sold in Clifden, the town often referred to as the Capital of Connemara.

“While we will announce the lucky store which sold this ticket tomorrow, we are now asking Lotto players who live in Clifden or for those who may be holidaying in the area to check their Lotto tickets very carefully to see if they are Ireland’s newest multi-millionaire.

“If you are this lucky winner, please sign the back of the ticket and contact our prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie and we will make arrangements for you to collect your prize.”

It is the eighth jackpot win this year and the 98th jackpot win in Galway since the game began in 1988. These jackpots total a whopping €162.3 million.

Annual Féile na bhFlaitheartach on Inis Mór to go ahead despite obstacles

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August 17, 2020

Galway Daily news €760,000 funding allocated for road improvements on Inis Mór

The Féile na bhFlaitheartach in Inis Mór is going ahead at the end of this month, despite challenges posed the pandemic.

The annual summer festival on the island will kick off at 11.30am on Saturday, 29 August, to ensure the safety of islanders and participants from the mainland.

It will be held in two parts, first on the island, and then online the following day.

The focus of this year’s Féile is the life and writings of another Aran scribe, the author and journalist Breandán Ó hÉithir, nephew of the famous O’Flaherty brothers.

He was born on Inis Mór 90 years ago and it has been 30 years since he passed away.

Breandán is well remembered for his witty and perceptive prose both in Irish and English: Lig Sinn í gCathú, Over The Bar and The Begrudger’s Guide to Irish Politics not to forget his journalistic work for the Irish Times and RTÉ.

But the man’s insights into the Irish establishment is exemplified by his satirical ballad The Gentle Black and Tan.

Anyone who has read Breandán’s superb ‘The Begrudger’s Guide’ could not fail to have thought of that lyrical masterpiece when late last year the Fine Gael government announced it intention to commemorate in 2020 the RIC and therefore the Black and Tans.

Breandán Ó hEithir, of course, knew well the real nature of the Tans. A fellow Aran Islander, Laurence McDonagh, was murdered on Inis Mór in 1920.

And on 29 August, festival participants will gather to pay their respects at the place where Laurence McDonagh was brutally killed. Here, there will be a short talk followed by some traditional music and a rendering of ‘The Gentle Black and Tan’.

A further event will be outside the Ó hÉithir homestead at which readings from his works will take place alongside some extracts from O’Flaherty’s ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Ireland’.

The second part of the festival dedicated to Breandán’s memory will be the annual keynote lecture, which will be given online by the former RTÉ journalist, and his close friend, Póilín Ní Chiarán.

This online presentation is to be screened on the Liam & Tom O’Flaherty Facebook page and made available to the public on Sunday, 30 August.

This will include footage from the RTÉ archives and promises to be a unique opportunity to gain an insight into Breandán Ó hÉithir’s life.

No Féile na bhFlaitheartach would be complete without some special focus on the work of Liam O’Flaherty. On Saturday 29 August in Cill Ronán Inis Mór, Éamon Ó Ciosáin will launch a unique publication: Mícheál Ó Conghaile’s translation into Irish of a selection of Liam’s English short stories. And naturally there will be readings from this new book.

All participants are requested to wear face masks on the day and observe social distancing.

Gardai investigating assault on elderly man in Eyre Square

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August 17, 2020

Galway Daily news Missing 17 year old teenager found safe and well

Gardai are investigating after an edlerly man was the victim of an alleged assault in Eyre Square over the weekend.

The man, believed to be in his 70s, received minor injuries during the assault, which took place at approximately 1pm on Saturday.

Gardaí say they are following a definite line of inquiry but are appealing for information from the public.

Anyone who may have witnessed anything, or may have information such as video footage is asked to get in contact.

They can make contact with Galway Garda Station at 091-538000, any Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

Galmont Hotel submits extension plans

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August 17, 2020

Galway Daily news Annual BiG BANG networking event taking place in Galway City — The Galmont Hotel

The Galmont Hotel & Spa in Galway City has submitted extension plans to the city council which will add 12 new bedrooms to its existing accommodation.

Galway Leisure Investments, owners of The Galmont, are seeking planning permission to demolish two bedrooms in the east wing to construct new link extensions between the north and east wings.

The project will also involve extension works on the third and fourth floors of the north and east wings, which will as 14 new bedrooms.

This will leave the city centre hotel with a net gain of 12 bedrooms from the expansion.

“The objective of this proposed rooftop extension is to meet the demand for additional accommodation required in Galway City Centre,” the application states.

“The design approach is to blend into the existing building style using a grey panel system to match the existing rooftop/penthouse on the eats wing of the hotel”.

“Elsewhere brick is used as indicated to match into the existing material palette on the hotel facade.”

“There is no additional parking proposed as part of this planning application,” the application states, adding that the current provision consists of 232 spaces, and that the hotel is close to the city’s main transport hub.

Galway City Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by September 20.

Clifden lifeboat evacuates injured child from Inishbofin

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August 17, 2020

Galway Daily news Clifden lifeboat evacuates injured child from Inishbofin

The Clifden RNLI lifeboat had another call out over the weekend to carry out a medical evacuation of an injured child from Inishbofin Island.

The all-weather lifeboat was called out at 6:50pm on Saturday evening to assist with a 10 year old girl with a suspected broken leg.

The district nurse on Inishbofin had asked for help after the girl was involved in a biking accident while exploring the island.

The calm conditions made for a gentle crossing by lifeboat and the girl was transferred into the care of HSE paramedics at Cleggan.

Accompanied by her mother, the girl was brought to Cleggan pier, where an ambulance was waiting.

“We were delighted to be able to assist with the casualty transfer and we all wish her a speedy recovery,” said Clifden RNLI Coxswain Alan Pryce.

“The capabilities of the Shannon class lifeboat ensured a fast response by the crew and also made for a comfortable crossing to Cleggan for the girl and her mother.”

The crew for the callout were Coxswain Alan Pryce, Lifeboat Mechanic Joe Acton and volunteer crew Alvin Bell, Andy Bell, Chris Nee and Alan Kearney.

RNLI crews in Galway were busy last week, with two yachts in need of assistance by lifeboats from Clifden and the Aran Islands.

And a huge effort was made on Saturday in the rescue of cousins Eileen Glynn (17) and Sara Feeney (21), who spent 15 hours in the water overnight after getting swept out to sea while paddle boarding.

The cousins were eventually rescued by local fisherman Patrick Oliver and his son Morgan, who found them clinging to a lobster pot southwest of Inis Oírr.

Galway’s Ever-Growing Mobile and Casino Game Development

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Thomas O'Brien

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August 17, 2020

Galway’s Ever-Growing Mobile and Casino Game Development

Although Ireland isn’t a leading player within the global gaming industry, progression is steadily being made. To showcase this, a study by Statista reports that video game revenues are expected to show an annual growth of 4.4 percent between 2020 and 2025.

In seeking to develop, locality has been at the heart of long-term strategies. So, let’s take a look at how game development across console, mobile, and online casino titles, along with eSports, have helped to grow Galway’s gaming sector.

The Importance of Embracing World-Renowned Brands

While many factors relate to Ireland’s gaming growth, the role of Galway can’t be overlooked.

Along with the whole host of Irish developers that have emerged in recent years, the city itself has become a component in the successes of Electronic Arts.

Located in Western Ireland, the world-renowned brand’s Galway-based facility predominantly deals with the customer service side of operations, providing support to gamers.

Although this in itself doesn’t relate to game development, it’s an indication of how gaming is becoming a part of the local culture in Galway.

Crucially, because of the popularity of online gaming, customer support services are arguably more pivotal than ever before to organisations such as EA.

Moreover, EA developments have also had an impact on the growth of local gaming. In recent years, eSports has become increasingly popular among contemporary gamers throughout Ireland, including those in Galway.

The sector’s popularity, combined with the global reach of EA’s FIFA franchise, has allowed local players to digitally reach global audiences.

Discreet, for example, is a Galway-based competitive gamer who has created a platform for himself through gaming.

Having won the 2018 Insomnia i62’s FIFA competition, the FreshFox eSports player is helping to grow Galway’s gaming community by attending local events, such as GamerFest.

Retaining a Sense of Locality in Search of Progression

That said, as well as reaping the benefits from the work of highly-regarded brands, a sense of locality remains central to Galway’s gaming future.

As well as EA, the city is the home to several homegrown developers, including Galway Games Developers and Romero Games, who created SIGIL.

Despite not having the same global reach as mainstream developers, such as EA and Rockstar, for example, Romero Games is an award-winning BAFTA game studio, as per their website. Moreover, they were also awarded the accolade for the Best Strategy Game E3 2019 by WCCFTech.

In addition to browser games, Ireland also boasts a promising local mobile games industry. At the time of writing, DIGIT Game Studios are the largest game development company in Ireland.

Moreover, they’re also the creators of free-to-play mobile strategy games, Kings of the Realm and Star Trek Fleet Command, as per their official website.

In recent years, this sector has reached new heights, with Statista reporting that Ireland’s mobile segment is projected to reach revenues of £30.5 million in 2020.

Aside from strategy games, casino games could also be a factor behind this progression. Over the last few years, increasing numbers of operators have sought to optimise their developments to cater to the demands of ever-present mobile gamers.

Because of this, compatible casino games have seemingly aided the smartphone-orientated focus in Ireland.

For example, Caxino, who offer seamless mobile play, have a number of Irish-inspired titles, such as Lucky Leprechaun and Rainbow Ryan, that may have played a role in furthering the country’s smartphone movement.

The Foundations to Ensure Sustained Progression

Although it’s unlikely that Ireland will ever become the world’s most profitable country regarding gaming revenue, Galway could undoubtedly be the catalyst for local growth.

Given that both homegrown and world-renowned brands are based in the city, the fundamentals are in place to guarantee forward-thinking progress.

Furthermore, with Ireland’s flourishing mobile and online casino games market, combined with its inspiration at online casinos, there’s scope for the country’s smartphone segment to develop further in the future.

Weather warning for thundery rain extended into Tuesday

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August 17, 2020

Galway Daily news No let up to rain with further weather warning for thunderstorms

A Status Yellow weather warning for thunder and heavy rain in Galway today has been extended into Tuesday morning by Met Eireann.

Throughout Monday and overnight into Tuesday, the entire southern half of Ireland could experience “heavy or thundery rain”, Met Eireann has warned.

Accumulations of between 25mm and 40mm of rain can be expected in places over the next 24 hours, with the possibility of localised flooding.

The warning issued on Sunday afternoon was originally to be in effect from 2am to midnight on Monday.

However, this morning Met Eireann reissued the rainfall warning, which will now be in force until 7am on Tuesday.

The weather warning applies to all of Munster, as well as counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly and Galway.

A Status Yellow environmental warning has also been issued, which cautions that; “Weather conditions favourable to the spread of Potato Blight will occur across all of Ireland this week.”

Coronavirus: 66 new cases in Republic, but no deaths

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August 16, 2020

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

There have been no additional deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today, but 66 new cases have been confirmed.

None of the 66 cases reported today are in Galway, which means the number of cases in the county remains 507.

Across the Republic, a total of 27,257 people have now tested positive for the disease, and 1,774 have died with the virus.

Today’s cases are spread across 14 counties: 21 Kildare, 16 in Dublin, 6 in Limerick, and the rest of the 23 cases are in Clare, Donegal, Laois, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Wicklow.

34 are men and 29 are women, while 67% are under 45 years of age.

Speaking this evening, Dr Ronan Glynn said that NPHET will meet tomorrow to review and discuss the case figures that have been reported in recent days.

“[The team] will make any necessary recommendations to Government which are required to protect the vulnerable, continue with the resumption of healthcare services and ensure the safe reopening of our schools.

“The phased reopening of the country has afforded people the opportunity to socialise with each other again.

“However, some are doing this recklessly and undermining the efforts of the majority of people around the country who are following public health advice.

This cannot continue. This pandemic isn’t over just because we are tired of living with it,” said the acting Chief Medical Officer.

He added that we must all learn to behave and interact in a new way over the coming months so that COVID-19 cannot take root again in our communities.

“Please avoid crowds, reduce your social contacts, keep your distance from others, wash your hands and wear face coverings.”

Status Yellow weather warning for thunderstorms issued

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August 16, 2020

Galway Daily weather Weather warning for heavy rain in Galway tonight

Another Status Yellow weather warning has been issued forecasting thunderstorms with heavy rain and possible flooding throughout Monday in Galway.

The alert from Met Eireann warns of “Heavy, possibly thundery, rain at times overnight and during Monday with accumulations of 25 to 40mm in places.”

Localised flooding may occur as a result of this the forecaster has said.

The warning will be in force from 2am on Monday morning, until midnight the same day.

It covers all of Munster, as well as counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly and Galway.

This is the second weather warning for thunderstorms across the southern half of Ireland which has been issued this weekend, after a similar alert was in force on Saturday.

Cork has been particularly badly hit by localised flooding recently, after heavy rains blocked many roads over the weekend.

In Galway conditions are expected to stay mostly dry tonight despite overcast skies, with a moderate easterly winds, and highest temperatures tonight of 15 degrees.

Lucky Galway player wins last night’s Lotto jackpot of over €7 million!

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August 16, 2020

lotto galway lottery galway daily winner win

The search is on across the county for the lucky winner of last night’s Lotto jackpot of over €7 million.

The individual, who bought their ticket in Galway, will walk away with a whopping €7.3 million after getting six numbers and bonus number.

The winning numbers were: 3, 7, 18, 36, 40, 42 and the bonus number was 16.

The National Lottery has appealed to all players in Galway to check their tickets today.

It is the 96th jackpot to be won in Galway since 1988, and the eighth jackpot win so far this year.

Revenue publishes guidelines for new Wage Subsidy Scheme

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August 16, 2020

Galway Daily news Galway winner claims €50,000 in prize bonds draw

The Revenue Commissioners have issued advice that businesses must have tax clearance in order to qualify for the new Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme.

The EWSS will replace the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, which was created to help businesses keep staff on the payroll during the pandemic, from September 1.

The EWSS provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers based on the numbers of paid and eligible employees on their payroll.

This differs from the TWSS which makes a payment to eligible employees via their employers.

This week the Revenue has published guidelines on the eligibility criteria and supporting proofs needed to the new Wage Subsidy Scheme.

To qualify, employers must be able to show that their business will suffer a 30% decline in turnover between July 1 and December 31, and that this is due to COVID-19.

“Additionally, and unlike TWSS, the employer must have tax clearance to be eligible to join the EWSS and remain tax clear to continue receiving the EWSS benefits,” said Collector-General, Joe Howley.

Tax Clearance is confirmation from the Revenue that the tax affairs of the relevant business are in order.

To qualify, the business and any persons or entities connected to the business must be compliant with all obligations under tax legislation in relation to the filing of tax returns and payment of taxes.

Generally this is only needed to renew certain licences, or to receive certain grant funding, leading to many businesses never to apply for tax clearance.

Of the employers currently registered for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Revenue says that roughly 16,000 do not currently have tax clearance, and may never have had it.

Mr Howley urged any employer who meets the qualifying criteria and intends to avail of the EWSS to immediately apply for tax clearance so that they can have the confidence of knowing that they will be able to receive the EWSS support from September:

This can be done “quickly and easily” through the Revenue’s eTax clearance service online, Howley said, with the application confirmed on screen in real time.

If your application is not successful, the reasons for it will also be outlined, enabling businesses to correct the issue and reapply.

“Once you have filed all tax returns that are due, any Covid-19 related tax debts will be parked under the Covid-19 debt warehousing scheme.”

“Additionally and importantly, if you are not in a position to pay older, non-Covid-19 tax debts, you can still obtain tax clearance if you enter a phased payment arrangement.”

The full Revenue guidelines outlining the eligibility criteria and supporting proofs needed for the EWSS can be found online here.

Over the Edge returns with August Open Reading for poetry lovers

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August 16, 2020