Rabbitte accuses government of environmental “hypocrisy” as EU levels €4 million fine

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June 29, 2019

Galway Daily tourism Galway named one of the Top 10 cities in the world by renowned travel magazine

The secret to living a long and healthy life is to be a wealthy woman in Galway according to the Central Statistic Office.

The Mortality Differentials In Ireland 2016/17 study said that Galway city and suburbs along with Dublin have the lowest standardised death rates in Ireland.

And shocking absolutely no-one the research study found that living in deprivation negatively impacts your expected lifespan.

In women there is a four and half year difference in expected lifespan between people living in the most deprived areas and the least, and the gap for men is five years.

The newly released information from the CSO also shows that women have a longer lifespan than man of 3.5 years no matter their circumstances.

On average, women in Ireland live for 85.5 years according to the CSO, while men’s average lifespan is 82 years.

Commenting on the research paper, Carol Anne Hennessy, Statistician, said “Those engaged in unskilled and semi-skilled work have a higher standardised mortality rate than managerial, technical and professional workers, with mortality rates ranging from 482 to 796 per 100,000 persons in 2016.”

“Married persons have a lower standardised death rate, 699 per 100,000 compared to those that never married, 972 per 100,000 persons, while divorced or separated persons have a mortality rate of 855 per 100,000 persons.”

She added that as the recorded level of education goes up, the standardised mortality rates drops.

“Those that ceased full-time education at primary level had a standardised mortality rate of 1,195 per 100,000 persons compared to 619 per 100,000 persons for those that ceased education at third level.”

And Galway and Dublin are the best places to have long twilight years with standardised death rates of 484 and 596 respectively per 100,000 people.

That’s a hell of a lot better than Cork, which has a death rate of 722 per 100,000 according to Carol Anne Hennessy.

New documentary celebrates Galway’s impact on artist, musicians, and comedians

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June 29, 2019

Galway Daily life and style documentary explores how Galway has shaped artists

A new bilingual documentary, ‘Cumar – A Galway Rhapsody’, premiering at this year’s Film Fleadh explores Galway’s impact across different artistic fields.

The creative feature-length documentary, directed by NUIG’s Aodh Ó Coileáin and produced by Paddy Hayes of Magamedia Teo looks at how the city and Connemara influenced six different artists.

In turn the lens shows the impact that their work has had on the place where they live.

The artists featured in the film include: musician/composer Máirtín O’Connor, novelist Mike McCormack, poet Rita Ann Higgins, artistic director of Macnas Noeline Kavanagh, singer song-writer Róisín Seoighe, visual artist Pádraic Reaney, and comedian Tommy Tiernan.

Galway Street Club also make a guest appearance with their own brand of music that’s much loved in the city and beyond.

“When I first arrived in Galway aged 19, I developed a private mythology of Galway as a city on the edge of the world where one has to turn around to look at the world – to comprehend it,” says Mike McCormack in the film.

He ads that “Galway has a great curiosity about the world as a result.”

Noeline Kavanagh from Macnas, added that “Art happens out of necessity, and certain landscapes are a cluster for that to be released, and I feel that there are some laylines in the West of Ireland that draw a particular sensibility out of people.”

The six artists explore Galway as a confluence of creativity and as a nucleus for artistic endeavour.

‘Cumar – A Galway Rhapsody’ explores the link between artist and environment, looking at some of the diverse cultural influences that have shaped Galway itself and moulded its artistic culture over time.

The documentary will premiere at Galway Film Fleadh, Town Hall Theatre, on Wednesday, July 10 at 2pm.

‘Cumar – A Galway Rhapsody’ will also screen at this year’s Clifden Arts Festival and at Shorelines Arts Festival in Portumna in September.

The film’s auteur Aodh Ó Coileáin directs the MA Cleachtas Gairmiúil sna Meáin) and also teaches on the BA (Cumarsáid agus Gaeilge) programmes at NUIG’s Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge.

His last film ‘Fís na Fuiseoige/The Lark’s View’ was premiered to critical acclaim at the Dublin International Film Festival in 2016 and went on to win awards at the Earth Day Film Festival in San Francisco and the London Irish Film Festival.

He said that since coming to live in Galway 30 years ago he’s wondered what it is about the City of Tribes and its surrounding are that creates and attracts so many artists.

This documentary touches on some of the theories that have occurred to him from time to time “the city’s diverse cultural background stretching into medieval times and beyond, the confluence of languages, the rich tradition of music and song, or is it simply the meeting of the waters: river, lake, and sea?”

Burst main causes water outages in Cashla

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June 29, 2019

Galway Daily news Mains repairs to cause water outages in Salthill next week

A burst mains pipe is causing water outages in the Cashla area today.

Irish Water has said that repairs to the broken water main may cause water outages in Cashla, along the Monivea road, and in the surrounding area.

The repairs are not expected to be completed until 8pm tonight according to Irish Water.

Households are advised that it may take 2 – 3 hours for full water supply to be restored after repair works are complete.

Further updates on the situation will be available through Irish Water’s Supply and Service page, or people affected can call 1850 278278.

Irish Water is also investigating reports of a supply disruption to Carnmore and surrounding areas today.

Tender issued for €1.3 million Merlin Park ambulance base

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June 29, 2019

Galway Daily news Work on Merlin Park ambulance base expected to begin this month

Plans for a new ambulance station at Merlin Park Hospital are progressing as tenders have been issued for the construction contract.

Planning permission was granted for the HSE to build the new ambulance base valued at €1.3 million last August.

The 613m² ambulance base will include a 129m² garage, two canopied parking bays, and 19 canopied spaces for emergency vehicles.

The two-storey base will also have offices, bathroom, shower, and laundry facilities as well as a kitchen and quiet room for Paramedics.

Last June the city council ordered the HSE to redesign the planned station to significantly cut down on the amount of parking on site.

The original plans were for 78 parking spaces, which city planners said was more than twice what was required for a development of this size.

The revised plans contained 25 spaces, not including space for emergency vehicles, but the HSE did not make other alterations to the external design that the city council requested, arguing that this is essentially an office space and its appearance should reflect its “utilitarian” function.

“It is important to the HSE and National Ambulance Service that a consistent architectural is maintained across all their facilities and unnecessary flamboyance avoided”

This week the HSE advertised Pre-Qualification Questionnaires for the construction of the new ambulance base.

The ambulance service in Galway has been suffering for several years since it was forced to make the move to “temporary” accommodation in Merlin Park Hospital due to construction work at UHG.

These prefab facilities have had a host of issues in the years since including freezing temperatures in winter, cramped conditions, and a rat infestation.

When completed the new base will provide consolidated ambulance services across the Galway city area.

Fitzmaurice condemns government for failing on promise to help people with incontinence

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily news Exemption for farmers on burning green waste welcomed

Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice has condemned the government for failing to live up to promises to support people with long term incontinence.

In 2017, then Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Denis Naughten announced an annual support of €75 for people with lifelong or long-term medical incontinence.

The support was introduced to help people meet the annual cost of disposal of incontinence products.

Galway Michael Fitzmaurice slammed the governments ongoing failure to introduce to the support.

“This was promised almost two years ago, and here we are – still waiting. This Government, along with successive ministers in the department, have failed to deliver”.

The Roscommon–Galway TD expressed his sympathy with the “most vulnerable in society” and declared that they are suffering due to the “incompetence of this Fine Gael Government”.

He noted that the responsibility for the scheme has now passed to Minister Richard Bruton.

While Fitzmaurice acknowledged that the Minister and his department have blamed the delay around concerns relating to personal data, he remarked that he found it “extremely hard to believe” that a plan cannot be formulated to implement a €75 support for those desperately in need.

He emphasised his frustration that this matter is still not settled after almost two years and proclaimed that people were sick and tired of hearing “the same tired excuses from one minister to another”

“The only ones suffering as a result of the delay are those who are lifelong or long-term medically incontinent. These people have significantly higher waste charges to pay and the €75 would be of huge benefit to them.”

Three day strike action by hospital support staff deferred

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily news Three day strike by hospital workers deferred pending labour court hearing

The upcoming three day strike by hospital support staff has been deferred pending a full Labour Court hearing.

It was originally planned that Siptu members would strike for three days next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with 10,000 health workers expected on the picket lines.

The Labour Court requested that the union defer next week’s strike to allow for a full hearing to take place which is scheduled for next Wednesday.

Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said that “At the request of the Labour Court, Siptu representatives have agreed to defer strike action scheduled to start next Tuesday to allow for a full hearing to take place with no preconditions”.

Paul Bell praised the “unity and strength” displayed by SIPTU’s members on the picket lines during the week.

He said this unity and strength has demonstrated their determination to resolve this matter.

“Ultimately, our members will decide on the outcome of any recommendations that emerge from negotiations at the Labour Court, by way of a secret ballot.”

Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy labelled this as a “positive development” saying that it would be good for patients.

The strike revolves around a conflict between SIPTU and the HSE over what SIPTU claims is the failure to allocate pay increases for its members stemming from a job evaluation scheme.

SIPTU maintains that the recommendations of the job evaluation scheme means raises of between€1,500 and €3,000 are due to many of its members.

Minister Eoghan Murphy was asked about the Department of Public Expenditure conceding and paying the increased wages following evaluations, to which he said that it would put increased pressure on public spending.

He said that the money wasn’t the government’s, but belonged to the tax payers and that it wasn’t a “bottomless pit”.

Minister for Health Simon Harris stated that service support staff have a fair point in relation to a number of their issues.

The Minister for Health called on the necessity for a negotiation about timelines for implementing the recommendations of the job evaluation scheme which found pay rises were warranted in some cases.

The strike being called off will come as welcome news to Galwegians with planned procedures at Galway University Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital Ballinasloe which have been effected by the strike.

Nationally, 2,000 patients had arranged appointments and procedures postponed this week due to the strike by the health service support staff.

New Ballinasloe cinema gets the go ahead

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily Arts & culture submissions open for 25th Junior Film Fleadh

Planning approval has been granted for a new five screen cinema in Ballinasloe.

Omniplex Holdings have received planning permission from the county council to build a five screen cinema in Dunlo, Ballinasloe on an empty site next Aldi.

The design is for a single-storey omniplex approximately 7.9m high with associated car parking.

Last December the council requested more information from the developer about any potential traffic and archaeological impacts from the project.

The council also said that a full site masterplan must be submitted by Omniplex due to the scale of the project and its proximity to a residential development in its planning stages.

Omniplex Holdings submitted this information to the council on last month.

A Natura Impact Statement was submitted as part of this application.

Before work can go ahead the developer must lodge €13,476 with the county council as a contribution towards the provision of public services for the cinema.

Galway county council granted planning permission with a total of 13 conditions attached.

Over the Edge presents the biggest literary open mic of 2019

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily arts Over the Edge open mic night on Thursday evening

Over The Edge in association with Westside Arts Festival is presenting probably the biggest literary Open Mic of the year this summer.

The 2019 Over The Edge Summer Open Mic will take place at Westside library during the summer arts festival on Wednesday, July 10 at 6-8pm.

Among the many taking part this year will be visiting students studying creative writing at this year’s NUI Galway Summer School.

Everyone who has a poem or story to share is most welcome to take part. So, if you have some writing you’d like to read to an audience, this is your opportunity to do so.

The MC for the night will be local poet Kevin Higgins who organises the Over the Edge literary events year round.

Over the Edge is supported by the Arts Council, Poetry Ireland, and Galway City Council.

City council approves grants for 20 local community festivals

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June 28, 2019

Galway city council has approved grant funding for 20 local community festivals this year.

The Local Community Festivals Grant Scheme provides support for events in local areas to “encourage participation in community life”.

For the 2019 Scheme the council had a budget of €8,000 with a window for applications from May 9 – 24.

In total 24 applications were received by the city council requesting funding of €31,580, but not all of those could be met.

Councillor Owen Hanley noted that there was a big difference between what people were asking for and what the council was providing them.

Director of Services Gary McMahon acknowledged that there is always a difference between “what you’d like to give” and what can be done with a limited budget.

But he added that the council provides more support for festivals and events in the community through other sources of funding such as Arts Grants, Fáilte Ireland, the Local Community Development Committee, and more.

He said that the great variety of festivals on the list shows “the strength of the local community” in Galway, “established communities and new communities”.

The full list of festivals which have received a grant in the 2019 Scheme is:

Westside Arts Festival – Annual Arts Festival – €500
Tirellan Residents Association – Christmas Festival – €400
Coogan Park Residents Association – Community Memorial Day – €400
Come2gether Polish Irish Association – International Children’s Day Family Fun event – €400
Merlin Neighbourhood RA – Community Family Fun event – €450
Galway Indian Cultural Community – Onam 2019 Festival – €500
Na Blátha Craige Residents – Summer Festival 2019 – €300
Ard Women’s Circle/Family Resource Centre – Community Day – €200
Rockfield Park Residents Association – Family Fun Day – €300
IGBO Progressive Union – New Yam Festival – €500
Dangan Heights Residents Association – Food Festival – €450
Galway Westend – Westend Street Feast 2019 – €500
Ballybane Community Garden & Taskforce – Community Festival – €500
Cumann na bhFear – Blacksmithing Festival – €500
Galway African Diaspora – Africa Abú – €500
Westside Youth Project – Traveller Pride Week Festival – €200
Nour Al Amal c/o Galway city Partnership – Community Iftar – €200
Highfield Park Residents Association – Community Fun Day – €400
Third Space Galway – Community Harvest & Sustainable Food Festival – €500

€200k committed to reconstruction of collapsed Dunkellin bridge

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily news €200k secured for reconstruction of collapsed Dunkellin Bridge

Work on the reconstruction of Dunkellin Bridge can proceed smoothly as the Office of Public Works has confirmed that €200,000 has been made available for the project.

A section of Dunkellin Bridge collapsed last September causing serious issues and extensive diversions for locals in the area.

Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon said that he received confirmation at a meeting with OPW Minister Kevin Boxer Moran yesterday that funding has been secured for the reconstruction of the bridge.

Minister Cannon that a deal was struck with the contractor and Galway County Council to all them to return to work today “so that the reinstatement works can begin immediately”.

“He also informed me that the works will be carried out as quickly as possible and that the completion date will be in the latter end of September,” Ciaran Cannon added.

“I’m very grateful to Minister Moran for his support for this project and I’m equally grateful to Cllr. Joe Byrne and to our local Council staff who have worked hard in planning for the recommencement of these works.”

Funding was secured in February from the Department of Transport to protect what remains of the historic structure while the collapsed section is going to be replaced at the same time.

The protective works will ensure that there are no further issues with the historic structure which dates back to the 19th century, while the collapsed section will be replaced with a new single span bridge.

Brothers of Charity get approval for Headford Road Day Centre

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily news Brothers of Charity granted approval for Headford Road Day Centre

The Brothers of Charity have been granted approval for a Day Centre on the Headford Road.

Planning permission was granted to the Brothers of Charity to amalgamate two empty retail until at Cairéal Mór on the Headford Road to run day services from.

This was the second application made by the religious order for a Day Centre at Cairéal Mór.

In March the city council rejected a very similar application to the change the use of a creche unit at the estate.

While a council inspector noted that the unit was vacant at the time, city planners said that “the removal of this childcare facility would result in a significant loss of residential amenity”.

“It would also encourage non-sustainable methods of travel, and would be contrary to the Galway City Development Plan”.

Galway city council granted planning approval for the new application concerning empty retail units with two conditions attached.

Murphy accuses the government of leaving children with Down syndrome behind.

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June 28, 2019

Galway daily news Eugene Murphy elected to the Seanad

Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy voiced his concern regarding the limited amount of Occupational, Speech, and Physiotherapists in Galway and Roscommon for children with Down Syndrome.

The Galway-Roscommon TD said that numerous parents of children with Down Syndrome have contacted his office complaining about long wait times before accessing services.

“Parents have contacted me in great distressm,” Eugene Muphy said, “They are waiting on services which are not forthcoming.”

“In my constituency there is a significant shortage of Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Physiotherapists. Early intervention and therapy services are vital”.

The Fianna Fáil TD condemned the fact that parents have had to resort to paying privately for these services.

“In most case this is a serious financial commitment and one in which great sacrifices are made to fund. This shouldn’t be case.”

“The HSE should have the adequate resources to support all families who require these services,” Deputy Murphy insisted.

Deputy Murphy said that there is an urgent need for more therapists in the region while stressing that if this isn’t provided, parents will feel abandoned by the government while still shouldering the costs themselves.

Murphy requested that the Government consider extending the July provision scheme to all children with Down’s syndrome.

The scheme provides funding for an extended school year for children with a severe or profound general learning disability or children with autism.

The strategy permits an extra month’s education to be provided to a pupil who meets the scheme’s criteria.

Deputy Murphy said he has been approached by numerous parents associated with Down Syndrome Ireland who believe the exclusion of their children from the July provision scheme is an injustice and a disgrace.

“How can the education system and the Government leave children with Down’s syndrome behind, as that is what is happening? They are being denied the right to learn at their own pace”.

Galway 2020 welcomes their Croatian counterparts

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June 28, 2019

Galway daily news Call for further transparency on Galway 2020 finances

As Galway 2020 limbers up for the final run to the year of the European Capital of Culture they played host to a delegation from our partner city in Croatia this week.

Rijeka 2020 and Galway 2020 will both share the title of Capital of Culture next year, and organisers and artists in the two port cities have been buildings ties in the run up to the event.

With its coastal views, seafood cuisine and bohemian flair, Rijeka shares many affinities with Galway that both are eager to highlight.

This week a delegation from Rijeka visited Galway at the tail end of Statehood Day celebrations – commemorating Croatia’s 1991 historic declaration of independence from the former socialist state of Yugoslavia.

Following an inaugural event at EPIC (Irish Emigration Museum) in Dublin, the group made their way to the west coast for a day of music and other activities on Thursday.

The delegation included Croatia’s Ambassador to Ireland H.E. Ivan Mašina, Mayor of Rijeka Vojko Obersnel, University of Rijeka Rector Snježana Prijić Samaržij and Tourist Board Director Petar Škarpa.

Rijeka 2020’s Partnership & Communications Director Irena Kregar Šegota and Partnerships & Protocol Coordinator Dorian Celcer are also among the delegation, bringing with them a trio of traditional Croatian musicians.

The trio consisting of Zoran Majstorović on lute and Zlatko Volarić and Zlatka Jurković on sopila (a traditional wind instrument) performed alongside Galway performers Aindrias de Staic and Moisés Mas García, exploring musical connections across both cultures.

Diversity is in fact the theme of Rijeka 2020, and the impetus behind ‘27 Neighbourhoods’ – a collaborative network which pairs 27 neighbourhoods in Rijeka (and its environs) with 27 communities in other EU member states.

27 Neighbourhoods participants from the seaside village of Lovran met with local organisers from the corresponding Galway 2020 community-based Small Towns Big Ideas programme to brainstorm ideas for the future.

The histories of Ireland and Croatia have traversed in unexpected ways over time.

Irish involvement in Croatian history dates back to the Napoleonic Wars, when Westmeath-born Laval Nugent drove Napoleon’s forces out of the disputed territories now known as Croatia.

Nugent was a careerist soldier with ambivalent allegiances, but Croatia occupied a special place in his heart.

He would later show wholehearted support for Ban Josip Jelačić’s attempts to claim autonomy from Austria and Hungary.

In his private life, Nugent amassed a vast collection of artworks and a total of six castles, one of which, Trsat Castle, he converted into a museum, opening its magnificent grounds to Rijeka residents in the early 1800s.

An exhibition on the life of the “warrior and collector” will launched in the Hardiman Research Building, NUI Galway on Thursday.

Design Island showcase of Irish artists and craftspeople returns for fifth year

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June 28, 2019

Galway Daily life & Style design island showcase returns for the fifth year — Photo Martina Regan

Design Island, an exhibition by Irish designers and makers is returning with their fifth edition of Irish Design Works this July in Galway.

Design Island is a network of designer makers who pool their resources to promote their work through exhibition both in Ireland and abroad.

This year’s show will present furniture, lighting, resin and metal sculpture, glass, ceramics and woodturning.

All the work is designed and made in Ireland to the highest standard both in terms of craftsmanship and innovative design.

The show will run from July 15 – 28 at Tribeton on Merchant’s Road, with Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard opening the event on Sunday July 14 at 6pm.

Admission is free and opening hours are 12 noon to 8pm daily.

Thirteen craftspeople and artists from all over Ireland are taking part with exhibitors from Galway, Meath, Wicklow, Clare, Laois, Offaly, Dublin and Cork.

In addition to this line up, Irish Design have invited a graduate from Letterfrack College of Furniture.

Ann McBride is a ceramicist based in Clare who combines her experience in graphic design with her passion for ceramics in a very original style.

Alan Meredith, a furniture maker from Laois has won many awards for his designs both in furniture and wood turning and is an expert in steam bending. He has exhibited extensively in Ireland and abroad.

Bear Creation is a company based in Wicklow headed by Brian Tyrell, which specialises in bespoke furniture using the latest technology and best of Irish materials.

Ciara O’Neill is an artist based in Galway who uses resin and multimedia to make abstract art, jewellery and furniture inspired by the marine world and landscapes.

Daniel Gill furniture maker/designer, based in Galway is back with his contemporary interpretations of 19^th century furniture design using traditional skills and methods.

Tatianna Dobos of Dobos Ceramics is orginally from Moldova and based in Galway for 10 years. She was very well received last year, and is launching her new ceramics collection this time.

Horizon Furniture is a well established furniture company and exhibited with Design Island in Dublin and London in the past. Fergal O’Leary based in Cork is known for his playful and innovative designs is the brain behind this enterprise.

Ben and Joshua Gabriel a father and son team of furniture makers/designers based in Galway will be launching designs for Gabriel Furniture which will travel to exhibitions in Cheltenham and The Netherlands later this year.

Michelle O’Donnell is glass artist using fused glass based in Co. Offaly. She has been present at this event for a number of years with her colourful creations which have lit up many private as well as public places up and down the country

Shane Holland is the chairman of Design Island based in Meath, known for his numerous public and private commissions in light installations and sculptures. He has created some collages and new lights he’s showcasing this year.

Stevan Hartung is a furniture maker of exceptional skill, whose design philosophy is rooted in the material he works with and the environment around him.

Tricia Harris is furniture/lighting maker/designer, graduate of GMIT Letterfrack, based in Dublin who has been a regular participant of this exhibition and is bring some of her minimalist designs using a variety of materials to Galway.

Tricia Harris photo credit: Marcus Cassidy

“This is our fifth year of this showcase and we are really excited to highlight some incredibly talented Irish furniture, lighting, resin and metal sculpture, glass, ceramics and woodturners,” explained Ben Gabriel of Irish Design Works.

” The launch evening will allow people come in and meet the makers of each piece on Sunday, July 14 and then the exhibition will run for the two-week duration of Galway Arts Festival.”

“It is an amazing platform in which all designers have been working towards all year. We want to encourage people to come along and see what Irish designers are creating.”

Main photo credit: Martina Regan

City council gets look ahead at Galway 2020 programme as funding improves

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June 27, 2019

A sneak peek at the programme for Galway 2020, which has been branded as “one of the biggest cultural events in the world”, was revealed to the city council this week.

The new Creative Director for Galway 2020, Helen Marriage, gave a presentation on some of the work that can be expected next year from groups such Galway Community Circus, Druid Theatre Galway and Macnas.

She said that Galway 2020 will follow the Celtic Calendar to bring a distinctly Irish feel to this very European festival.

The Irish language will also be a big part of the programme she said, both as an important language here in the Gaeltacht and as a European minority language.

Some of the potential headline events include innovate community sports events, international partnerships with other cities, and a massive events turning the entire city into an art gallery.

The full programme of events confirmed so far will be released this September, and the year of the Capital of Culture will have a launch ceremony next February.

Chief Executive Patricia Philbin also gave a quick run down on the financial situation of the project after several councillors expressed concerns about a lack of that manner of information in the presentation.

Between the two of them they laid out a project that is in a much more secure positions and possessing a clearer vision than has been feared in recent times.

The councillors were informed that they were embarking on an Irish language program along with a schools program among other things.

Councillor John Connolly welcomed the presentation by Helen Marriage, noting that up until now the programme “hasn’t grasped the imagination of the public”.

He said that rather that waiting for September to talk about what’s coming up there is a need to start pushing the programme now.

The Fianna Fáil councillor was cautious about whether there was “enough funds to do what we want” and that Galway wasn’t promising something it couldn’t deliver.

Councillor Collette Connolly echoed his concern, asking if there is guaranteed funding for the projects which have had deals signed.

Helen Marriage said that they “We’re not proposing to put anything into the programme in September that we can’t pay for”.

To that Patricia Philbin added that if a contract has been signed then the money is there for it.

Fine Gael Councillor Eddie Hoare declared said that he hoped the GAA would be involved in the event as it can reach a lot of kids.

He added that while much of the coverage of Galway 2020 so far has been negative, it has been an “honest assessment” of an organisation that has difficulties with its finances.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan Cheevers expressed his desire to see representatives from Galway 2020 to reach out to different nationalities.

Around 24 percent of people who live in Galway come from a country other than Ireland.

Councillor Cheevers said that there are more than 42 different nationalities living in Doughiska, and that international cultural events like Africa Day are always a huge hit.

Cllr. Noel Larkin advocated that it was time to look forward and not back, adding that Galway 2020 would “put us on the world stage”.

In response to questions about the state of the accounts Patricia Philbin said that the finances for 2018 have been audited and will be released shortly, and she added that she would try to circulate more of the internal auditing they perform to councillors.

Galway 2020 funding

To date, Galway 2020 has been assigned €25m in state funding from different Irish State bodies.

The lion’s share of the funding is coming from the government which is delivering €15 million, while the city and county councils are delivering another €10 million.

Galway city council is contributing €6 million, and the county council has announced that it is adding another €2 million to the €2 million it initially put in.

Patricia Philbin said they are also going EU’s Melina Mercouri Prize which is worth €1.5 million, and the EU is providing another €500k directly to projects that are part of Galway 2020.

While it is not technically not guaranteed that the prize will go to Galway 2020, Patricia Philbin said that it has never not been awarded to a Capital of Culture.

One area where significant progress has been made is in the raising of money from the private sector.

The city council was told that there is €4.5 million in private sponsorship, trusts, or in-kind contributions which have either already been settled or are in negotiation.

She added that they will continue fundraising throughout this year, and right to the end of December 2020 and use that to fund new projects as the money becomes available.

Chief Executive Brendan McGrath claimed there will be a “bricks and mortar” legacy from Galway 2020.

He stated that the event was poised to bring in significant amounts of money while maintaining that any organisation in receipt of public money should be open to scrutiny.

For every €1 invested in the European Capital of Culture a dividend of €7 is produced for the city Brendan McGrath said, adding that this has been true of every city.

He doubled down on this declaring that tourist numbers from other capital of cultures grew from 10% to 25% in subsequent years and that for every 65-70 sustained visitors, one job was created in the local community.

The CEO concluded by saying that Galway 2020 is well on its way to achieving a “permanent and lasting legacy”.

Galway singles looking for love needed for unique new RTÉ dating series

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Michael Malone

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June 27, 2019

A brand new dating show on RTE is looking for young single Galway people who can’t find ‘the one’.

Pulling with my Parents, as the name suggests, will give parents control of their babies’ love-lives.

The series will focus on young singles’ parents who will be challenged to find them the perfect man or woman.

As well as a crash course in emojis, your parents will also try some more traditional ways to find a date.

A small ad in the Farmer’s Journal could be just the ticket.

Or is there plenty of talent at the GAA club or does one of the neighbours have a niece just home from Australia?

If you’re single and up for a laugh – or if your child’s love life is in need of some TLC – then email: dating@alleycats.tv

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, step-parents and single parents are all welcome too.

City councillor says “spiraling childcare costs” not being addressed by government

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June 27, 2019

Galway Daily news Fresh planning application for new Clifden playschool

Fianna Fáil City Councillor, Alan Cheevers, has said the government are not taking any actions to curtail soaring childcare costs, despite claiming to do so.

The city east councillor said that he has been contacted by numerous people in his ward who have told him they can no long afford the rising cost of childcare.

Childcare providers are having to put up their fees, he added, due to mounting insurance prices and operating costs.

“Creche places come at a premium. I know of families, in which both parents work full time, who are now limited as they look for alternative childcare providers, or in some cases, seek support from family.”

Many service providers in Galway are severely overburdened, including children going on the waiting list for Mountbellew Community Childcare Centre before they are even born.

Galway East TD Anne Rabitte is introducing a bill which would exempt “buildings and land used exclusively by registered early years and school-aged childcare services providers from commercial rates.”

Commercial rates are set according to the Valuation Act of 2001, and an amendment to that act passed in 2015 exempted all non-profit service providers commercial rates, a benefit which Deputy Rabbitte is proposing the extend to all service providers.

Earlier this month 19 organisations in Galway that provide care services for children were awarded a total of €600,000 to create new spaces.

Concerns have been raised in many sectors that changes being made under the Childcare Support Act 2018 will lead to further increases in fees due to new regulations calling for one member of staff per 12 children.

Councillor Cheevers also said that more needs to be done to tackle rising insurance costs for providers with the Cost Insurance Working Group tabling issues such as efforts to crack down on insurance fraud.

“Business insurance is soaring,” he said, adding, “The government has yet to implement the recommendations of the Cost of Insurance Working Group and take the necessary steps to increase competition and tackle Ireland’s claim culture.”

Councillor Cheevers concluded with a warning that unless substantial changes are made “rising creche fees will become the norm for the foreseeable future.”

‘Saharan Bubble’ heatwave brings hottest day of the year

By

Michael Malone

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June 27, 2019

Galway Daily news met eireann high temperature warning

Today is the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures soaring above 27 degrees in parts of Galway and Connacht.

A status yellow weather warning will remian in place for Galway and other counties in the West until 7pm this evening.

The heatwave, known as the ‘Saharan Bubble’, is dragging hot air from Africa across the continent.

However, here in Galway, the beautiful weather won’t stick around for too long.

Tomorrow is expected to remain warm, but with some more clouds and the chance of some scattered showers. There will be some good sunny spells though with pleasant afternoon temperatures in the mid-twenties.

As for Saturday, temperatures will fall back down below 20 degrees but it will be bright for most of the day. Sunday will be similar with just some showers, but by the start of next week, the highest temperatures will have fallen to 14 or 15 degrees.

The Saharan Bubble has claimed the lives of three people in France so far, where schools were closed in Paris due to dangerously high temperatures.

Other European countires are bracing themselves for the worst of the heatwave tomorrow and Saturday where temperatures will exceed 46 or 47 degrees in parts of Spain.

Gardaí appeal for witnesses to deadly Loughrea traffic accident

By

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June 27, 2019