Galway’s fire service was kept busy overnight battling multiple gorse and bog fires throughout the county
A crew at Mountbellew Fire Station were called twice in the early hours of today to bog fires in the surrounding areas.
Fire crews from Portumna battled a gorse fire for several hours yesterday before it was contained around midnight.
Another gorse fire was also reported in the Menlough area, and Mountbellew fire brigade have been called out again this morning.
The Department of Agriculture issued an Orange Warning this week cautioning of a strong risk of fires in the west of Ireland due to dry weather, high temperatures, and high pressure weather conditions.
Claregalway Educate Together National School is seeking permission to retain its temporary facilities while the new school is under construction.
Currently the Educate Together NS in Claregalway operates out of a converted bungalow and two modular buildings while a new state of the art school facility is under construction opposite the community centre.
Since first opening in 2005 the school has been operating on a year to year lease of the land to the Department of Education.
It’s hoped that the new school will be open by the end of 2019, and while waiting for that ET is seeking a one year retention of planning permission for the converted building, two modular classroom facilities, and an off-site wastewater treatment system.
The school currently operates a Puflow Peat Biofilter wastewater treatment system with the capacity for 200 users.
Claregalway ET National School opened on the Cloonbiggen road in 2005 with just 29 pupils and has grown in the year since to become a bustling school with 151 pupils and 12 staff members.
The Department of Education gave the go ahead for a new, permanent school facility in June of last year, and the full architect’s design was ready by this February.
Educate Together have said that they hope to be able to move into their new school facility by the end of October.
Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by June 5.
Tourist attractions in the east of Galway would benefit from being given official markers by Fáilte Ireland like those along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Independent candidate for the county council Eoin Madden has said that tourist attractions within the Hidden Heartlands such as Meelick Pier, Portumna Castle and the Long Point at Loughrea would all benefit from having physical discovery points to mark their location.
Fáilte Ireland has invested more than €3.5 million on 188 discovery points along the Wild Atlantic Way which include photo-friendly markers and interpretation panels explaining the significance of each site.
These provide “fabulous photo opportunities for the Instagram generation” Madden said, and incentivise tourists to visits those locations.
To date, no such scheme with of Discovery Points exists for the Hidden Heartlands, which is Ireland’s newest major tourism brand.
Madden said that having markers made for the camera would be a welcome addition for tourists looking to record their holiday experience.
Eoin Madden
“Young affluent tourists now are looking for special experiences, and for beautiful photos they can share on social media,” said Madden who is standing for the Portumna-Loughrea county council district.
With the shape of a heart making up the core of the Hidden Heartlands logo, Eoin Madden suggested that having physical heart shaped markers at tourist attractions could “attract the ‘Instagram generation’ to these places, promote the Hidden Heartlands, and bring more young tourists to our area”.
Over five hundred delegates from 37 countries are gathered in Galway this week for the 7th EUGEO conference to talk about climate change and agriculture.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Re-imagining Europe’s Future Society and Landscapes’, looking at the impact of climate change and how it is changing agriculture, energy production, and more.
This conference of the Association of Geographical Societies in Europe is taking place at NUIG this week up to Saturday, May 18 in conjunction with the 51st Conference of Irish Geographers.
Events taking place throughout the week will look at look at agriculture and climate change from the viewpoint of citizens, politics, behaviour change and climatology.
Researchers from NUIG’s Risk Aqua Soil project will host a session on ‘Agriculture and Climate Change’ on Thursday, May 16 from 3.45pm-5.15pm in the Human Biology Building.
Risk Aqua Soil is an ambitious EU project led by NUIG that aims to build more climate change resistant agriculture along the Atlantic coast.
Other events include sessions on ‘Historical Climatology’, what seasonal conditions in Ireland used to look like; the conservation of Irish peatland ecosystems; environmental monitoring and mapping; homelessness in the west of Ireland and more.
The week will include interactive panels, fieldtrips to the Burren, paper and poster sessions as well as early career networking events and international keynote contributions.
Conference chairs Dr Kathy Reilly and Dr Frances Fahy from the College of Geography and Archaeology said that it is an honour for NUIG to host this biennial event.
“We are delighted to welcome 500 national and international colleagues from all around the globe to this significant event.”
“Over the next three days we are looking forward to a vibrant and rich conference programme which will include cutting edge research exploring some of society’s pressing issues.”
The goal of the EUGEO conference is to examine crucial pressing issues of society, the environment and landscape withing the context of geography, and find how our physical and cultural landscapes are linked.
By doing so it’s hoped it will allow people to reflect on and re-imagine environmental and sustainable futures within the geographical boundary of Europe.
Rock legend Robert Plant, legendary singer songwriter Burt Bacharach, five world premieres and four Irish premieres in theatre, the return of the Festival Garden, and an opera world premiere are just some of the highlights of the 2019 Galway International Arts Festival.
Over 600 acts are scheduled to come to Galway this summer for the 2019 Galway International Arts Festival which unveiled its full lineup today.
The 42nd GIAF will run this summer from July 15 – 28, with more than enough music, theatre, visual arts, and street performances for a lifetime, or at least until next year.
This festival will be a summer of firsts as numerous premieres will be taking to the stage.
The Irish National Opera will be staging their explosive new piece Least Like the Other tracing the life of Rosemary Kennedy, eldest daughter of Joe and Rose Kennedy and sister of JFK, and building a picture of her life from heavily redacted sources.
Least Like the Other
Galway’s Druid Theatre is bringing forward Epiphany, a new play by Brian Watkins featuring three Tony Award winners – director Garry Hynes, and stars Bill Irwin and Marie Mullen.
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland will return to the stage, playing a tribute to John Williams who composed all the soundtracks of our childhood on the big screen.
There’s plenty of spectacle off the stage as well as French artists The People Build are returning to create another cardboard monument to architectural ambition with the help of hundreds of people.
The People Build
Commenting on this year’s programme, Galway International Arts Festival’s CEO John Crumlish said “We hope there is something for everyone in this programme.
“Whether you are interested in operas, orchestral work, new plays, music icons, contemporary art, a good discussion or street spectacle we are really looking forward to welcoming you to Galway this July for hopefully a very memorable two weeks.”
Over 250,000 came to GIAF in 2018, and this year’s festival hopes to push past that number by putting on a bigger spectacle than ever.
The Festival Garden alone drew 145,000 visitors who came to Eyre Square for some Al Fresco dining in between experiences, and it will return in all its delicious glory.
A new programme of Vinyl Talks will keep people entertained while they eat as some of your favourite artists drop by to talk about their most treasured vinyl memories while they play.
Of course music at GIAF is synonymous with the Heineken Big Top which is coming back with an exciting line-up of Irish and international musicians, including Burt Bacharach, Bell X1, Two Door Cinema Club, Villagers & John Grant, Macy Gray, The Academic, Orbital, The Coronas, The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and Grammy-winning Saharan Blues band Tinariwen.
That’s not the only place that will be drawing the music lovers as legendary Led Zeppelin frontman is playing in St. Nicholas’ Church with his new band Saving Grace in a concert that sold out in minutes.
Robert Plant with Saving Grace
First Thought Talks, the exciting series of discussions about the topics of greatest importance to society today which premiered last year are returning with academics, activists, journalists and more lined up for a series of 22 talks.
This series of interviews, conversations and debate will explore the theme of BORDERS, whether it’s national borders, gender, political, wealth or health, and will include a talk on What Can We Do About Climate Change? by former President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.
The Festival Gallery, one of many visual arts experiences to be had, is moving to a new home in the heart of Galway city and it will house an enthralling exhibition by one of Australia’s most important sculptors Sam Jinks, In the Flesh, which draws on our fascination with the human figure.
Paul Fahy, Artistic Director of the festival, said they’re particularly excited this year to see “so many collaborations and co-productions at the heart of the programme”.
“Galway becomes a truly magical place for two weeks every July as some of the most brilliant artists from Ireland and all over the world arrive on our shores for a thrilling fortnight where great art, ideas and good fun are available in equal measure.”
There’s so much more that will be packed into two weeks at the Galway International Arts Festival than could ever be listed here.
600 artists from Ireland and around the globe, from Australia to Africa and from Europe to the Middle East will make their way to Galway for one of the renowned arts extravaganzas in the world.
Anyone who wants see the full lineup of shows can find them at www.giaf.ie.
Plans for a new cinema in Ballinasloe are progressing after the county council requested more information from the developer on its local impacts.
Plans for the cinema at were first submitted by Omniplex Holdings last October to build a five screen cinema in Dunlo, Ballinasloe on an empty site next Aldi.
The application is for a five screen, single-storey omniplex approximately 7.9m high with associated car parking.
The gross floor space of the project would be 1123m².
The owners of the land, Limehill Esker Limited, have an agreement with Omniplex Holdings allowing them to seek planning permission.
A decision was initially due to be delivered in December, but the county council requested more information from the developer about any potential traffic and archaeological impacts from the project.
The council also asked Omniplex Holdings to submit a full site masterplan due to the scale of the project and a nearby residential development in its planning stage, as well as a statement of acceptance from Irish water that this cinema could be connected to the water mains and sewer network.
That further information was submitted to the council by the developer on May 1.
A Natura Impact Statement was submitted which said there was no possibility of this project affecting any designated conservation sites.
An Archaeological Assessment declared that “No recorded monuments are located within the proposed development site” and that a walk over survey found no evidence of “the presence of sub-surface archaeology”.
Galway County Council is due to make a decision on whether to grant planning permission for this cinema by June 25.
There’s just over two weeks to go until the annual Flag Day fundraiser for Galway Rape Crisis Centre and volunteers are needed to shake a bucket for this important service.
On May 31 volunteers will be collecting for Galway Rape Crisis Centre in Galway city and throughout the county from 10am to 6pm.
Volunteers who are willing to come out and shake a bucket even just for an hour of their day to help support this important organisation are needed for the Flag Day.
Deirdre Ní Shuilleabháin, 2018 Galway Rose and ambassador for GRCC said, “I, as someone who is so proud to support the work and services of the Galway Rape Crisis Centre, will be there and I hope to see a few familiar faces too”.
“The Galway Rape Crisis are dedicated to providing a professional and confidential counselling and support service for victims of sexual assault and violence”.
Galway Rape Crisis Centre's annual Flag Day takes place this year on Friday 31st May from 10am to 6pm. If you, your family or friends would like to take part in the bucket collection, contact the charity’s fundraising department on 085 2462969 or email fundraiser@grcc.ie. pic.twitter.com/vozm0jWn32
— Galway Rape Crisis Centre (@GalwayRCC) May 4, 2019
Services provided by the GRCC include a 24-hour emergency call out service, with counselors available to provide emotional and practical support in the immediate aftermath of assault.
People who have been the victim of a sexual assault or rape may also use the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, which opened here in Galway in 2009 after extensive campaigning by GRCC.
Clients will also receive emotional support and advocacy from a GRCC Support Worker whilst attending at the Unit.
There are also court accompaniment services and a legal clinic. All of these services are available completely free of charge, which is only achievable with the help of volunteers.
“By offering to volunteer with the Galway Rape Crisis Centre on the annual Flag Day you will be helping to support these services,” Deirdre Ní Shuilleabháin said.
This would be “making a difference to the lives of so many women, men and young people aged 14 years and upwards who rely on these services”.
Anyone who wants to take part in the Flag Day for GRCC can contact 085 246 2969 or email fundraiser@grcc.ie.
Galway University Hospitals collected just under €1.5 million in parking fees in 2017.
The HSE released information on how much hospitals around Ireland gathered in parking fees in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly.
University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park Hospital, which together make up GUH, collected €1,449,902 in 2017, the fourth highest amount in Ireland.
Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe collected €166,820 more from parking.
All told, more than €22 million is spent by members of the public on parking at Irish hospital each year.
The biggest money maker was Cork University Hospital which collected €3.1 million in 2017.
Deputy O’Reilly said that parking charges should be abolished for sick patients coming to hospital for treatment.
“Charges for car parking at hospitals are a charge on people who are unwell and levied on them because solely because they are sick.”
The Irish Cancer Society have said that cancer patients are paying up to €63 a week in car parking fees.
Portiuncula Hospital is one of five which provides free parking for cancer patients coming for treatment.
“Patients have told us that they simply can’t manage the cost of parking on top of other expenses they face as they battle their illness,” Louise O’Reilly said.
Last November the HSE and Health Minister Simon Harris promised to cap hospital parking fees at €10 a day, however multiple hospitals are still charging more than that.
24,000 people pack the roads to make the commute to and from Galway city from the suburbs and surrounding county every day.
Information mapping the daily commute people make in and around Galway city was gathered by Vodafone Ireland using network performance data and population data analytics.
This information on commuter trends into Galway city comes as Vodafone is working with the Small Firms Association on an event in Galway city on how SME’s can expand and develop flexible working practices.
“When we consider that 24,000 people commute to Galway City every day, we need to think about the knock on effects that has on business costs in terms of traffic congestion, immobility and increased demand for office space,” Treasa Doran, Head of Commercial at Vodafone Business Ireland said.
She added these figures paint a challenging picture for small businesses based outside of the city as “people are leaving towns and villages for employment, creating an economic drain in their locations.”
The mobile operator said that this network data was gathered purely for network improvement purposes. It gathered anonymously, processes and deleted, leaving the metadata showing the volume of motorway users according to Vodafone.
Together with the SFA, Vodafone Ireland is hosting a ‘Smart Business’ workshop in the PorterShed off Eyre Square to show how small businesses can grow, scale and succeed in a changing business environment on Tuesday, May 21 from 7:30 – 9am.
“We believe that smart or flexible working is the next frontier for SMEs – particularly in attracting and retaining top talent, reducing costs and increasing productivity,” Teresa Doran said.
At this workshop the SFA will present experts in HR and business growth to talk about staying competitive and and the technology requirements to transform traditional workplaces into smarter, digital businesses.
Teresa Doran added that this event will focus on helping SMEs to find “how they can remain competitive inside and outside of urban centres”.
Those interested in the event, who also have the opportunity to win a new smartphone on the day, can register for the free event via following link: http://ie-mktg.vodafone.com/open-conversations.
Anthony Shaughnessy from the Portershed said that they are delighted to help launch the Smart Business series.
“These practical events are a fantastic platform through which business leaders can gather the right insight to help them develop their future plans and to understand the supports out there that will allow them to manage changes which can make or break their business.”
This event is the first of five planned over the course of the Smart Business series.
Galway’s Portershed co-working space and business accelerator now supports 100 members and 42 companies to work in Galway by providing flexible office space and high-speed connectivity.
Excessive pesticide levels have been recorded in Galway’s water supplies as Irish Water that this issues is on the increase in multiple counties.
Pesticide levels in exceedance of guidelines continue to be detected across Galway, with worryingly excessive levels found in the Ballinasloe Public Water Supply and Tully-Tullycross Public Water Supply in 2018.
Further testing in the past two months has found excessive levels of the pesticide MCPA in Ballinasloe, with a warning that this could contaminate the River Suck which supplies drinking water in Galway and Roscommon.
If this continues the Ballinasloe Regional Water Supply could be place on the EPA’s Remedial Action List.
Though these levels do not pose a threat to public health, farmers are being urged to use best practices when spraying pesticides on their land to avoid any runoff into drinking water supplies.
Andy Boylan, Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist with Irish Water, said that 82 percent of public drinking water in Ireland comes from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, and streams.
“Such supplies are vulnerable to contamination from land and animal run-off,” he warned.
Irish Water working in partnership with the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group, which draws stakeholders from multiple sectors including farming, to address this issue.
Regulations of pesticides are so stringent that a single drop is enough to breach the drinking water limit in a small stream for up to 30km.
Andy Boylan said that Irish Water is moving ahead with its extensive investment programme to improve drinking and wastewater services throughout Ireland.
He added that providing “safe, clean drinking water” for all is Irish Water’s first priority.”
Galway’s Merlin Woods should be accorded greater environmental protection by being part of a Special Area of Conservation.
Galway City Council candidate Claire Hillery has sad the city council should accord more protection for Merlin Woods by including it in the Galway Bay SAC.
She said that with Ireland recently declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency, there is a need for local action to meet national aspirations.
“We cannot afford to lose such a beautiful, natural area that gives so much to our physical and mental wellbeing, both young and old.”
For people recovering in hospital, the “restorative sights, sounds, and smells of nature” from the woods are highly beneficial Claire added.
“By protecting this green and special place we can ensure that vital hospital development in the grounds of the Merlin Hospital can continue, while working in harmony with nature.”
Claire Hillery is standing for the Green Party in the city’s east ward.
Claire Hillery with family in Merlin Meadows
Mrs Hillery praised the local environmental group the Friends of Merlin Woods whom she has worked with for “clearing litter and working to spread biodiversity in the park”.
She said that protection for South Meadows and Merlin Woods should be given protection in light of a decision by An Bord Pleanála to protect the area from “harmful development”.
In February of this year An Bord Pleanála overturned planning permission for the new Galway Hospice on the grounds of Merlin Park Hospital as it could harm habitats in Merlin Woods.
The local elections for Galway City and County councils will take place on Friday, May 24.
Approval has been given for a massive €130 million residential and commercial development in Doughiska.
Evolution Holdings Ltd have been granted planning permission for a mixed use development of six blocks of buildings ranging from three to seven storeys tall at Sraith Fhada in Doughiska.
The development 130 ‘build-to-rent’ apartments, a hotel with 122 guest bedrooms and 12 apartment suites, and a 12,000m² office block with a café/bistro on the the ground floor.
Blocks A, B, C, and F would form the residential component of the development, with 57 apartment in Block A, 33 apartments in Block B, and 20 apartments each in Blocks C and F.
Other amenities in the design include a creche and a six storey car park building with 351 parking spaces as well as basketball and handball courts and an exercise area at the roof level.
An additional 231 surface level car parking spaces and 155 cycle spaces will be spread through the rest of the site.
In April the city council requested further information from the Evolution about the proposed impact that this development will have on traffic in the area.
In response a Traffic and Transport Assessment and Road Safety Audit were submitted the city council’s Transport department.
The €130 million project is expected to create roughly 250 jobs in construction while under development.
When it is completed the development is expected to accommodate over 1,000 jobs between the office space, hotel, and other amenities.
The city council granted planing permission with a total of 40 conditions attached.
Before work begins on the project the developer is required to make a contribution of €1,724,510 to Galway city council, and lodge a further €325,000 to secure the provision of infrastructure such as roads, footpaths, and public lighting.
A suitably qualified archaeologist must also be hired to carry out archaeological testing on the site, with no surface work to commence before they have submitted their report to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
There is one recorded archaeological monument on the site, an old roadway known as the Hags Road, which the developer plans to include a 15m buffer zone around.
A mobility management plan must also be in place within three months of the buildings becoming occupied, with an annual report to be submitted to the city council.
In addition to the café/bistro included in the design, the city council instructed the developer to add a convenience store to the site plans.
Planning documents submitted by the developer claim that this project has the “create and catalyse economic growth, enterprise development and job creation.”
They noted that “the proposed office component, as an integral part of a considerable high quality, mixed use scheme, is a proactive effort to address the existing and future demand for high quality office spaces in the city.”
NUI Galway’s Alumni Ensemble Choir has been crowned Chamber Choir of the Year after blowing listeners away at the recent Cork International Choral Festival.
The Alumni choir was brought together by NUI Galway Peter Mannion in 2013 from among other alums, many of whom had gotten to know each other in the university’s Choral Society while studying there.
They meet up in Galway during the year to reconnect and rehearse new music for public performance.
Founded in 1954 the Cork International Choral Festival takes place over the five days with gala concerts, schools concerts, national and international competitions, workshops and free outdoor performances.
The NUIG choir’s winning repertoire at the Cork Festival included contemporary Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt, and Renaissance Italian composer, Claudio Monteverdi.
Peter Mannion said that this choir has been a great way to keep in touch with old friends and “share our passion for singing”.
“Chamber choirs are small by nature and it takes time and care to make sure that each of our voices blend together while maintaining their expressive quality.”
He added that it was an amazing experience to represent the university in winning this award.
The 2019 Cork Choral Festival took place from May 1 – 5 with concerts and competitions in venues around Cork city such as St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, and Cork City Hall.
As well as competing in the National Chamber Choir competition they performed a lunchtime concert for the public in the Methodist church in Kinsale.
Two new rural safety initiatives have been launched this week which are meant to make people living in isolated areas feel safer in their homes.
The Department for Rural and Community Development has launched rural safety schemes that take aim at carbon monoxide poisoning and a mobile app for the Community Alert system.
Galway East TD and Minister with responsibility for community development Seán Canney said that these initiatives will help “isolated, vulnerable and older people in rural Ireland safer in their homes.”
Carbon monoxide alarms will be installed in 2,000 rural homes with €115,000 funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
Alarms will be supplied to Muintir na Tíre groups who will install them in people’s homes on a voluntary basis.
Carbon Monoxide poisoning claims an average of six lives a year according to the Department for Rural and Community Development. What have been described as “largely preventable” deaths.
Building regulations require new homes come with CO alarms, but there is no requirement for older homes to be retrofitted with them.
“It is vital that people who otherwise might not be able to afford them have these alarms,” Seán Canney said.
This week also saw the launch of Muintír na Tire’s new Cairde home security mobile app.
The app has multiple functions to make people feel more secure in their homes, including integrating into the Community Alert system so people can receive garda texts.
It also features community messaging to allow communities to keep in contact and a panic button to allow people to raise the alarm with designated neighbours, relatives and friends.
Deputy Canney said further updates for the app are in the works which will include doorbell cameras and the use of smart plugs to allow unobtrusive monitoring of patterns.
“For example if someone has not put the kettle on as usual by a certain time of the day,” Deputy Canney explained.
Muintir na Tíre is a national organisation for community development. It supports 200 Community Councils and 1,400 Community Alert groups nationwide, through a network of Development Officers and Head Office support.
13//05/2019 Repro free:
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD “E-THERMAL” ENVIRONMENTAL TEST FACILITY OPENS IN GMIT
First such test facility in Ireland to help SMEs develop new sustainable heating products
An international standard “E-Thermal” environmental test facility designed to assist Irish SMEs in developing new sustainable heating products was formally opened in GMIT today (Friday 10 May) by Deputy Seán Canney, Minister of State for Natural Resources, Community Affairs and Digital Development.
E-Thermal stands for Environmental Testing of a Heat-pump and Enthalpy Recovery Machine within an Advanced Laboratory. The facility has been established by GMIT’s integrated Sustainable Energy Technologies (ISET) research group with financial support of €360,000 from Galway-based company ProAir and Enterprise Ireland.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Canney says: ““Climate Action is a priority for Government. Shortly we will publish an All of Government Action Plan to deal with Climate Change. Projects like the new “E-Thermal” Environmental Test Facility at GMIT is vital for industry to move towards our objectives. I commend GMIT, Enterprise Ireland and ProAir for their collaboration in establishing this facility in GMIT. I am delighted that ProAir and David McHugh are leading the way in a very effective way.”
Dr John Lohan, Principal Investigator, and lecturer in the GMIT Dept of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, says: “It is the first such test facility in Ireland capable of offering product development and pre-certification testing of sustainable heating and energy efficiency products to international test standards.”
“The laboratory can expose such products to a range of European weather conditions (temperature range -15oC to +35oC; relative humidity 10-90%) and monitor the performance of the new product when exposed to these conditions. Many different types of tests can be performed from short (one hour to 24 hour long), manual control
A new state of the art environmental testing facility to help Irish businesses develop sustainable heating products has opened at GMIT this week.
The E-Thermal laboratory can expose products to a range of European environmental conditions including a temperature range of -15°c to +35°c and a relative humidity 10-90%.
It will be used to test heating products created by Irish SMEs for their sustainability and energy efficiency.
The first product that it will test is the Aergoma” concept from Galway-based ProAir Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems, a heat-pump and heat recovery ventilation system that has the potential to be improve energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions compared to existing products.
Speaking at the facility’s official opening this week Galway TD Seán Canney said that test facilities like this are an important part of moving Irish industry forward on climate action.
“I commend GMIT, Enterprise Ireland and ProAir for their collaboration in establishing this facility in GMIT. I am delighted that ProAir and David McHugh are leading the way in a very effective way.”
E-Thermal stands for Environmental Testing of a Heat-pump and Enthalpy Recovery Machine within an Advanced Laboratory.
It was set up GMIT’s integrated Sustainable Energy Technologies (iSET) research group with €360,000 support from Galway-based company ProAir and Enterprise Ireland.
Dr John Lohan, Principal Investigator and lecturer in the GMIT Dept of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering said that this is “first such test facility in Ireland capable of offering product development and pre-certification testing of sustainable heating and energy efficiency products to international test standards.”
The laboratory will also be used to support undergraduate and postgraduate projects for students of GMIT’s Energy Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programmes.
David McHugh, Managing Director of ProAir, said that their company has had a partnership with GMIT going back to the early noughties and the beginning of the IT’s energy faculty.
“So it was logical to contact John Lohan with an idea for a collaboration and a project like this,” he went on to say
“This type of facility is crucial to developing our ideas on low energy heating and ventilation systems.”
The current “E-THERMAL” project commenced in July 2018 and will run until June 2020, with ProAir’s Aergoma also expected to come on the market in mid 2020.
An orange warning for forest fires has been issued amid summer temperatures and a lack of rainfall.
The Department of Agriculture has issued its second most serious level of warning, saying that there is a strong possibility of forest fires in the west of Ireland this week.
The Orange Alert has been issued due to high pressure weather conditions and a lack of precipitation which is particularly affecting the west.
The warning will remain in place throughout this week until Friday at 12pm.
People are urged to beware of fires in areas where there is a concentration of fuels such as gorse, heather, dried grasses and other dead vegetation.
Forest owners and people living in rural areas are being asked to stay alert for fires and report anything immediately to the fire and emergency services.
Just last month a massive gorse fire in Donegal was only contained by the efforts of hundreds of fire fighters and volunteers.
Arising from current Easterly high pressure weather conditions, a condition Orange Forest Fire warning is now in place until Friday 17th May.
— Dept of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (@agriculture_ie) May 13, 2019
Members of the public are urged to show every possible caution not to contribute to the risk of forest fires and gorse fires by avoiding lighting any camp fires or other fires in forests or open land at this time.
The Lighthouse Café on Abbeygate street is kicking off their summer evening services with a new vegan cheeseboard and mezze plate.
The Lighhouse, which won Best Free From in Galway at the Restaurant Association Awards earlier this year serves vegan and vegetarian food.
It has launched Lighthouse nights where they will be open from 6:30pm every Thursday and Friday to kick off the summer season.
The Vegan Cheese Board includes a blue and camembert cheese from Little Green Leaf in Cork, a whipped vegan feta infused with lavender and thyme, rosemary salted walnuts, pear chutney, prunes, pickles and crisp breads for €15.
While the Mezze Plate brings a trio of homemade hummus, beetroot, squash and chickpea with whipped vegan feta, olives and an organic salad all served with plenty of freshly baked bread for €9.50.
Each evening there will also be a main dish for those that want a hot meal, they can enjoy the likes of a squash, chickpea and green olive tagine with brown rice and salad for €11.50.
The Lighthouse evenings are all BYOB with €7 corkage and this includes Galway tonic wine favourite Buckfast.
Thee Lighthouse Café is open from 10am Monday to Saturday with a Vegan Brunch happening every Sunday from 11 until 4pm and will be open from 6:30pm each Thursday and Friday over the summer.
Galway city council has decided to move ahead with a social housing project in Ballybane which is expected to cost roughly €12 million.
The council voted to Monday to proceed with a Part 8 planning application for 58 social housing units on site in Ballybaan More.
The estate will consist of 18 apartment and 50 houses, up from initial plans for 50 units, facing onto the Monivea road and Old Ballybane road.
Four vehicular access points off the Old Ballybane road are proposed in the plans, with 73 car parking spaces and 18 cycle parking spaces.
There was strong debate in the city council about the merits of this plan, with some councillors saying that local residents were concerned about anti-social behaviour, while supporters of the plan said it must proceed in light of our housing crisis.
Cllr Mike Crowe said that plans for a development purely consisting of social housing wasn’t in the best interest of the area, saying that the council already has trouble managing its existing stock.
He recommended rejecting the plans, saying that the site needed an affordable housing scheme. The councillor also brought up concerns about anti-social behaviour which were raised at a public meeting about this project in Galway city east.
Cllr John Walsh, who proposed the motion to proceed with this planing process, said it was essential for the council to increase its housing stock with more than 50 families living in emergency accommodation, costing the council more than €300,000 a month.
The Fine Gael councillor added added that he hoped that funding for an affordable housing scheme would become available withing the year and the council could work with the Department of Housing on dividing this development between both social and affordable housing.
During the public consultation period of this project 50 public submissions were made to the city council which expressed concerns about traffic issues, a lack of amenities, privacy issues, and pedestrian safety.
Cllr Colette Connolly said that anti-social behaviour has become a “nightmare” for many people that the council must deal with, but that there is also an obligation to build more social housing to address long waiting lists.
There are currently 4,169 households on a waiting list for council houses in Galway city, with more than half of those expressing a preference for housing on the east side of the city.
Galway city council has committed to delivering 1,089 new social housing units by the end of 2021, with 400 of those to be delivered through direct builds on council owned lands.
Cllr Terry O’Flaherty suggested that the council could revisit this in six months when the Affordable Housing Scheme is up and running, and that the council should focus on addressing anti-social behaviour on existing estates.
However Cllr Mark Lohan warned that the council risked losing the funding available from the government to build social housing if it didn’t act now.
City Manager Brendan McGrath highlighted that last month the city council voted to ask the government to declare a housing emergency, and that the council must back this up with actions of its own.
He warned that “If we decide to kick this down the road we are deferring building any houses on this site by a number of years at least”.
The CEO also insisted that anti-social issues on council estates only involve a tiny minority of people out of more than 2000 homes the council operates.
Cllr Pearce Flannery acknowledged that there is an issue with anti-social behaviour which the council has been “lethargic” in addressing, but he said that this shouldn’t “cloud” the issue of addressing Galway’s housing crisis.
A motion proposed by Mike Crowe to reject the plans currently before the council was defeated with 9 voting against it and 6 in favour.
Afterwards the council took up John Walsh’s motion to proceed with the Part 8 planning application was passed unanimously.
A two day road closure will be in place to facilitate roadworks taking place near Loughrea this week.
Resurfacing overlay roadworks will be taking place on the LP4314 at Carhoon, Killimor on Wednesday and Thursday May 15-16.
In order to facilitate this the stretch of road being worked on will be closed between 7:30am and 7pm for the two days Galway county council have said.
“As a consequence users of this road are requested to expect delays and as such should allow additional time for their journeys.’’
The contract for these resurfacing works has been awarded to Lagan Asphalt Ltd.
Three credit unions in Galway are taking part in a new scheme to offer homeowners easy access to funding for home energy improvements.
St. Anthony’s and Claddagh; St. Columba’s, Oranmore, and St. Jarlath’s, Tuam credit unions are part of the Pro Energy Homes Scheme to make it easy peasy for people to get SEAI grant funding and offering cheap loans for home energy improvements.
This scheme is expected to lend roughly €10 million to credit union customers from 20 branches nationwide through the Solution Centre, a strategic development unit for credit unions.
It also offers easy access to SEAI grant funding of up to 35% of the cost of approved energy upgrades. The average loan during the pilot stage of this scheme was €10,000, with a total investment of €15,000 including grants.
The credit unions are working in partnership with Retrofit Ireland (REIL) and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Ireland’s national sustainable energy authority.
Cathal Tyther, Manager of the Solution Centre said “We weren’t surprised by the strong uptake during the pilot phase, as a recent SEAI consumer survey found that 74% of people said that they hadn’t previously considered upgrading their property as they did not have sufficient funds to consider an energy reduction project in their home.”
“We are delighted that our credit unions are supporting their members by providing low cost finance to make energy upgrades attainable for more people because the benefits for our members, their communities and environment are enormous.”
“Our main focus is to make the homes more comfortable, more efficient and to reduce carbon emissions.”
Paddy Sweeney, Managing Director of REIL, said that this project is meant to be simple and easy for homeowners, with no money changing hands until after the retrofit works are completed.
Home improvements that fall under this scheme include Attic insulation, Cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, Solar thermal panels (hot water), heating system and controls upgrade, and windows upgrades.
“The idea of making a home cosier and cheaper to run appeals to most homeowners, but they struggle to know what to do and who to talk to, and the idea of completing grant and loan applications forms is enough to put most people off,” said Kevin Johnson, CEO of CUDA.
CUDA is the representative lobby group for many of Ireland’s largest credit unions and the organisation behind the Solution Centre.
“This is an important first step for credit unions in supporting their communities by providing finance for sustainable purposes.”
