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Galway Rape Crisis Centre awarded over €400,000 to fight domestic and sexual violence

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services

Galway Rape Crisis Centre will be receiving €444,250 this year to help it combat, domestic, sexual, and gender based violence in the community.

This is part of a €25 million funding package announced Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone this week for 16 frontline rape crisis centres around Ireland.

The Minister said that the funding for these services this funding level for this year is €1.5 million higher than in 2018 Galway Rape Crisis Centre receiving an additional €40,000.

The increased funding will be used for a generalised boost to all sexual violence services, employing new outreach workers for women and children affected by domestic violence to improve access to support and services, and a specific initiative to reduce waiting times for counselling for victims of sexual violence.

2019 will also see the national roll out of a 12 week healing programme for children who have been impacted by domestic abuse, which aims to help parents and guardians understand what their child went through and support their healing.

“As Minister I have seen at first hand the invaluable work of frontline agencies supporting women and children targeted by domestic, sexual and gender based violence,” Minister Zappone.

“I have also listened to the voices of those forced out of their homes by threats, abuse and violence.”

The Minister added that the new initiatives will help Ireland meet its obligations under the Istanbul Convention ratified on march 8.

The Istanbul Convention is an international legal instrument aimed at addressing the fight against domestic and sexual violence created by the Council of Europe.

Minister Zappone concluded by saying “We all have a role to play in ensuring the safety of those forced to flee an abusive partner, often with their children.”

Yellow weather alert issued as Storm Hannah comes to end our days of sun

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily weather Rough weekend forecast as weather warning issued by Met Eireann

A status yellow weather alert has been issued for Galway as Storm Hannah is coming to put and end to the spell of sunshine this weekend.

Storm Hannah is making its way across the Atlantic from Newfoundland and is expected to make landfall in the south-west on Friday night.

The yellow weather alert for Galway forecasts high winds of 50-65km/hr through late Friday night and into Saturday morning, with gusts of up to 110km/hr.

This weather alert will be in effect from 11pm on Friday until 9am the tomorrow morning.

The South-West is expected to take the brunt of the damage from Storm Hannah according to Met Eireann, with a status orange weather warning in place for Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.

They can expect average wind speeds of up to 80km/hr with gusts reaching as high as 130km/hr from 4pm today until 5am on Saturday morning.

The yellow alert covering Galway is also in place for the rest of Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford.

Things are expected to become wet and breezy headed into the afternoon after a dry start today, with developing southerly winds as Storm Hannah approaches.

Highest temperatures of 10°c to 12°c today, dropping off into the evening.

Even after the storm lets up on Saturday is forecast to stay fairly wet and miserable with rain lingering until at leas Tuesday.

Report expresses concerns about physical restraint at Galway Mental Health Unit

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Briain Kelly
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A report from the Mental Health Commission raised concerns about the physical restraint of patients at a Mental Health Unit in Galway.

The 50 bed mental health unit at University Hospital Galway was inspected by the Commission last November, and the results were released this week.

The report found the centre had four areas classified as “high-risk” where it was not compliant with regulations: the use of physical restraint, staffing, register of residents, and admission, transfer and discharge.

In two of the incidents of physical restraint noted in the report the patients were not told why they were being restrained, for how long, or why the restraint ended.

Two episodes were highlighted in the report where the patients’ representatives were not informed abut the physical restraint and the reasons for not telling them were not recorded.

The report also said that in two cases “there was no record to indicate that the resident had received a medical exam at all by a registered medical practitioner within three hours after the start of an episode of physical restraint.”

“In one case, while a medical exam did take place, there was no time record to show that it took place within three hours after the start of the physical restraint episodes.”

And in all three of the instances noted in the report there was no record to indicate that the episode had been reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team within two days.

Dr Susan Finnerty, Inspector of Mental Health Services, said that according to the Commission’s Code of Conduct “staff should only use physical restraint when no other option will work”.

“A patient can only be restrained for a maximum of thirty minutes at first, after which a doctor must review.”

“The doctor may decide that further restraint is necessary and at this stage they must make a renewal order that allows the patient to be restrained for up to another thirty minutes.”

She added that being restrained is a very serious action and if a patient is restrained the staff must tell them why, how long it will last, and what needs to happen to make it end.

Staff will end physical restraint “when a doctor or nurse decides that the patient is no longer a serious threat to themselves or others.”

Other issues raised in the report included a lack of timely information given to a patient’s GP after their discharge and.

In one instance a discharge summary was not sent to the GP for 23 days , well outside of the 14 day requirement.

The summary did not include details of their prognosis, nor was a timely follow up appointment arranged.

Overall the report said that the mental health unit at UHG was compliant with 81 percent of regulations and was rated as excellent in nine areas.

Tenders issued for €6 million N67 road realignment scheme

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Roadworks to disrupt traffic near Portumna on Tuesday

Tenders have been issued this week for the €6.1 million N67 Ballinderreen to Kinvara Phase 2 Road Realignment Scheme.

The N67 Road Realignment Scheme consists of improvements to approximately 3km of the N67 National Secondary Road between Ballinderreen and Kinvara.

Galway county council is seeking a contractor for the realignment of seven junctions with side roads along the N67, road widening, installing combined cycle and footpaths, and constructing retaining walls.

The N67 Scheme has attracted some controversy due to the proposed road widening which would see some historic dry stone walls knocked and replaced with modern fencing.

The County Council reduced the amount of fencing in the plans after meeting with local campaigners fighting to retain the stone walls which they say are part of the local heritage.

Pre-Qualification Questionnaires have been issued by Galway County Council for contractors with the deadline for tenders to be accepted for this project on June 13.

This scheme was one of ten road safety projects which were allocated a €136 million in funding by Transport Infrastructure Ireland last year.

Book of condolence for murdered journalist Lyra McKee at city hall

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Book of Condolence for Lyra McKee

A Book of Condolence is open for people to sign in memory of the late journalist Lyra McKee who was killed in Derry.

Mayor of Galway Niall McNelis opened the Book of Condolence with members of the National Union of Journalists at City Hall this week,

Lyra McKee was shot last Thursday night in Derry during rioting that followed police raids on dissidents in the area.

She was killed while observing the rioting standing next to a police vehicle.

The dissident republican group the New IRA have admitted that it was one of their members who killed her.

Her death has led to renewed calls for an end to the political vacuum in Northern Ireland which has been without a government since January 2017

The book of condolence will be open for people to sign at city hall until May 3.

Loughrea company celebrates creating 400 jobs in five years

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Loughrea company creates 400 jobs in five years

The Loughrea based Neylons Facility Management has gone from strength to strength in recent times, adding 400 new employees over the past five years.

Neylons Facility Management was founded by Sylvester Neylon in 2004, beginning as a humble cleaning service in Loughrea and now employs more than 500 people in everything from catering to caring, cleaning to security.

The company has said that the balance of its workforce is a key factor to its success, with the management team being 53% female and 47% male.

This, they say, has been one of their focuses in providing opportunities for all employees through gender equal leadership, role models, and promoting a healthy work/life balance.

A massive part of this has been the Neylons Academy for Growth, created in 2014, which invests in staff development and promoting people from within the company.

This academy, the only one of its kind in Europe in a business of this size, teaches skills ranging from operational elements such as project planning and budgeting, to soft skills such as performance and behavioral management.

In the first year five staff went through the academy, with interest growing as people saw the benefits and promotions the pilot programme offered.

All participants qualified and became managers for some of the most prestigious facilities in Ireland. Year two they took on 12 staff, and now in its sixth year they have 25 participants. Over 95 in total.

In 2018 Neylons was awarded Top prize for Workplace & People Development at the European Business Awards.

Minister of State for Business Pat Breen attended the graduation of the 2019 class at a special event at Neylon’s Loughrea HQ on April 5.

“It is great to return to Neylons headquarters in Loughrea and be able to report of an incredible increase of 400 jobs over the last 5 years,” Minister Breen commented.

“This impressive growth for an Irish SME in such a competitive industry such as Facility Management and It is clear it’s down to the culture of leadership and investing in the training of people.”

He finished by saying that Neylons are especially good at helping those who do not go down the typical third level education route achieve their potential

Serious dough on offer for winner of National Brown Bread Baking competition

By
Michael Malone
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BROWN BREAD COMPETITION Galway daily

This winner of this year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition could earn up to €15,000 in profits from the sales of their bread in Aldi.

The competition was launched this week and it will take place over the summer.

Galway hopefuls can drop thier bread off at the Aldi Store, New Town Centre, Oranmore on 9 June from 10.30am to 1pm.

In association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA), the competition was relaunched five years ago, and the event has proven to be a huge success.

The contest is open to both members and non-members of the ICA.

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said: “Given the huge popularity and success of the National Brown Bread Baking competition at Ploughing over the past four years, we are once again delighted to be renewing our partnership with Aldi and the ICA.

“It is wonderful to see the long and great tradition of baking in Ireland alive and well at Ploughing.

“The total attendance figures for the 2018 National Championships came to over 240,000 and this year’s event in the new location of Ballintrane, Fenagh, Co. Carlow looks set to be bigger and better than ever.”

Once again this year, entering the competition will be easier than ever, and Aldi is encouraging any bakers over the age of 16 to take part to be in with a chance of seeing their bread on shelves nationwide.

Ireland’s first Traveller student society launches at NUIG

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news first traveller student society in Ireland launches at NUIG

Members of the Travelling community officially launched the first Traveller student society in Ireland at NUIG this week.

The Minceir Whiden Society was co-founded this year by Traveller students at NUI Galway and the Galway Traveller Movement.

‘Minceir Whiden’ means ‘Travellers Talking’ in the Cant language, which is spoken by the Irish Travelling community.

Riona Hughes, Societies Officer at NUI Galway said the university was delighted to make this addition to its roll of societies.

“We look forward to many collaborations and to support inclusion in third level and look forward to a productive year for the society. Congratulations to all the students involved in the initiative,” she added.

The society’s goals include increasing the number of people from the travelling community participating in higher education and making campus a welcoming space.

At present, just 1% of the travelling community hold a third-level qualification, with just 9% of Traveller children completing the Leaving Certificate compared to 86% of the settled population.

NUIG student Owen Ward said it is of “paramount importance” to build positive alliances and relationships between Traveller students and other students and staff at the university, and with the wider community.

Pick up some medieval moves for the dance floor

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily life & style old school dance workshops with Early Music Galway

If you’re looking to spice up your dance moves it might be worth looking backwards with some old-timey dance workshops at NUIG.

Galway Early Music is organising four workshops on medieval, renaissance, and playford dance for anyone curious about the rhythm of history.

The first two workshops will on Playford dance, social dancing enjoyed by the landowning classes in Britain from the seventeenth century to the mid-nineteenth.

This is the kind of thing that people might recognise from period dramas that the BBC specialises in bringing to our screens.

They’re named John Playford, who published the first edition of The Dancing Master in 1651 in a blatant thumbed nose at the stick-up-the-arse puritans who’d come to power in Britain at the time.

These will be led by Felicity Maxwell, a dancer since the age of three who’s worked with ballet, contemporary English and Scottish country and ceilidh, and most recently Irish and Renaissance dancing.

The second set of workshops will look back further to the renaissance and medieval eras, paying particular attention to two modern French dances with strong medieval roots.

The first workshop will look at the most common dances of the Middle Ages, the round dance (the carole) and the open-chain (the tresca).

The Renaissance workshop will focus on the branles and pavane dances from the courts of 16th century Europe.

In both workshops, most dances will be accompanied by live music played on bagpipes and flutes by Jacopo Bisagni and participants will also get to practice their singing voices.

Lisa Carrel-Bisagni will lead these two classes bringing her years of experience in everything from modern jazz to Irish step dancing and flamenco, and from Breton and other French traditional dances to Renaissance and Baroque dance.

The classes will take place at NUI Galway through late April and into May, and are suitable for everyone ages 10 and up.

Each workshop costs €5 or €15 for all four, no pre booking required.

PLAYFORD DANCES 1
SUNDAY, 28 APRIL, 2-4 pm, O’Donoghue Centre Rm G011 NUI Galway

PLAYFORD DANCES 2
SUNDAY, 5 MAY, 2-4 pm, O’Donoghue Centre Rm G010 NUI Galway

MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE DANCES 1
SUNDAY 12 MAY,  2-4 pm, ARAS NA MACLÉINN NUI Galway

MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE DANCES 2
SUNDAY 19 MAY, 2-4 pm, ARAS NA MACLÉINN NUI Galway:

Anyone who finds that they enjoy their new moves is invited to join Early Music Galway on Sunday, May 26 at the Meyrick Hotel to join the Early Music for Young Musicians Project, and our adult Ensemble in a concert directed by The Gregory Walkers.

Plans for Tuam apartments rejected over space and parking concerns

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Appeal lodged against rejection of Tuam apartments

Galway county council has refused permission for the first floor of a building in Tuam to be converted into apartments.

Planning permission was sought to change the use of multiple retail units and a coffee shop at Lár na Cathrach, Tuam to apartments.

The development would have consisted of 12 one-bed and 5 two-bed apartments covering roughly 1,600m².

They would take the place of designated retail space at the four storey Lár na Cathrach building which has been lying vacant since the building was constructed.

The ground floor also consists of retail units, largely occupied, while the third and fourth floors are for residential use.

JHL Manufacturing Company, who were seeking planning permission, said this development would result in “the delivery of a benefit to the town centre by putting existing vacant floorspace to use”.

“The provision of housing in the town centre, over the shop, literally in this instance, is not only a major objective, but an imperative of national and local planning policy and as such the principal of the proposed development is in our opinion not only acceptable but should be actively supported by the local planning authority.”

In refusing permission for the development Galway County Council said that there was no private open space for 16 of the 17 apartments in the plans and that several lacked adequate storage areas.

The council also said that there wasn’t enough clarity regarding the proposed carparking for the development and that there was no design statement from Irish Water included.

Without that, “it has not been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the planning authority that the public water mains and public sewer infrastructure has the capacity to cater for the additional loading and water supply needs arising”.

Recycle your electronic waste for free in Gort on Saturday

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Free electrical waste collection event in Galway this weekend

Galway County Council is offering free recycling of any and all electronic waste in Gort on Saturday.

The council’s annual free WEEE collection will take place at the Gort Co-Operative Livestock Mart where people can drop off their electronic waste for free.

From 10am – to 4pm, anything with a plug or a battery is fair game.

A number of free collections have been organised by WEEE Ireland and the county council throughout Galway in recent weeks.

Another collection at Oughterard last Saturday resulted in 26 tonnes of waste being dropped off, and 22 tonnes was gathered at a collection in Casla before that.

There will be one final collection on Saturday, May 4 at Supervalu in Loughrea from 10am to 4pm after this.

 

Update: This article previously stated that the collection in Gort was on Thursday, April 25 when it taking place on Sarurday, April 27.

HIQA inspections raise issues with two Galway nursing homes

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news strike called off

Concerns were raised about issues at two Galway nursing homes in recent inspections by the Health Information and Quality Authority.

The results of HIQA inspections at Corrandulla and Ballinasloe nursing homes were released this week and raised certain areas where they were not fully compliant with regulations.

Breaches were found at Corrandulla Nursing Home when an unannounced inspection on January 10 found six areas where the home was not compliant with regulations and seven where it was.

Overall patients at the nursing home said they had no complaints and that their care needs are well met.

Patients told the inspector that “staff made them feel at home” and that they were encouraged to personalise their living space.

However, it was noted in the report that residents’ records were not securely held and some staff files were missing vetting disclosures.

The inspector also said that more work was needed on the unit’s care plans to make them individualised to each patient, adding that “residents did not receive care that supported
their physical, behavioural and psychological well-being”.

Management at the nursing home came under criticism for a lack of supervision and control of infection practices and not complying with an annual review of management practices.

The report said that the standard of cleaning at the premises was not appropriately monitored in the area of infection control.

The final concern raised was that residents at the nursing home did not have access to a GP for appropriate healthcare.

At the Ballinasloe Community Nursing Unit operated by the HSE, inspectors found one main area of non-compliance in staff vetting.

An inspection of the nursing unit on the Creagh Road in Ballinasloe was carried out on February 18 – 19.

It was noted in the report that the provider had “failed to ensure that all staff had a vetting disclosure in accordance with the National Vetting Bureau”.

This action was ordered after the last inspection found the unit non-compliant and had to be re-issued after this.

While staff had proper training in most areas, there were twelve staff members who were awaiting training on manual handling.

Overall inspectors found that there was a strong, person-centred approach to care at the Ballinasloe unit that worked to maintain residents’ links with the community.

Significant positive feedback was found by inspectors in talking with residents and their families.

Compliance plans were put in place after the inspections at both nursing homes with specific actions to be taken regarding the concerns raised.

NUIG awarded Green Flag environmental status

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news NUIG awarded Green Flag environmental accreditation

NUIG has been awarded that internationally recognised Green Flag accreditation for promoting sustainability and reducing its environmental impact.

The Green Flag was awarded to the university by An Taisce under its Green-Campus programme on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

NUIG was granted this status after a rigorous assessment process that examined how the university has reduced its own environmental footprint and promoted a more sustainable future to its students.

The University recently hit a major milestone by cutting its energy usage by 34% since 2006, exceeding a target of a one-third cut by 2020 in a metric audited and validated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

A new target of a 40% reduction by 2020 has been set on the back of this achievement.

Other projects considered include NUI Galway’s participation in the the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, introducing a planting scheme that’s friendly to pollinating plants and insects, as well as introducing composting stacks, bird boxes and insect hotels to the Biodiversity Trail and other locations across campus and setting up herb beds and two fruit gardens for staff and students.

The university curriculum also reflects this shift in focus with 230 modules across all Colleges that contain an element on, or a focus on, sustainability.

Prof. Pól Ó Dochartaigh Registrar and chair of the university Sustainability Project said that NUIG’s work towards a greener campus has been about recognising that everyone has a role to play in building a more sustainable society.

“Universities have a particular responsibility to promote sustainability through education, knowledge exchange, research, corporate social responsibility and shaping future agendas,” he added.

“A sustainable campus is one which maintains a green and healthy environment, promotes the use of resources efficiently and instils in graduates and staff the importance of tackling environmental challenges.”

The Community and University Sustainability Project at NUIG was set up in 2015 to spread information to the large audience at their disposal about greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and many other areas touching on environmentalism.

Michael John O’Mahony, Director of the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce congratulated NUIG on being awarded the Green Flag, saying that the collaboration of staff, students, and contractors to make a greener campus should be applauded.

The Green-Campus Programme is an international environmental education and award scheme operated by An Taisce which encourages large scale action at colleges to reduce their environmental impact and use their resources to promote sustainability.

It focuses on five key themese of energy, waste, travel, biodiversity and water.

Lorraine Rushe, Environmental Manage at NUIG said “Each theme poses its own unique challenges but is essential to ensuring that our campus achieves environmental, social and economic sustainability, which will benefit us now and into the future”.

GRETB invites applications for teaching positions in the next academic year

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Planning extension grant for Craughwell National School expansion

The Galway Roscommon ETB is currently accepting application for teaching positions in Galway for the academic year starting next September.

Qualified teachers are currently invited to apply for post primary and further education teaching positions “which may arise within GRETB schools/colleges/centres during the academic year 2019/2020″.

Application forms can be found and submitted through the GRETB website has more information about the requirements for these positions.

Anyone who is the final year of a degree or diploma course which will lead to a teaching qualification but has yet to sit exams/receive results may also apply for any vacancies, though job offers are subject to the applicant meeting the requirements of the position.

Those who apply for positions at a gaelscoil are required to hold the Ceard Teastas Gaeilge, Teastas Gaeilge do Mhúinteoirí Iarbhunscoile or the Irish requirement as per Circular Letter 21/00 issued by the Department of Education and Skills.

The deadline for applications to be in is midday on April 29, and any applications received by then will be valid for consideration by the GRETB until November 1.

Children’s Hospital overrun raises fears for new unit at Portiuncula

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Portiuncula Hospital reports high flu circulation

Concern has been expressed about the future of a planned 50 bed unit at Portiuncula Hospital due to cost overruns at the National Children’s Hospital.

Galway East TD Eugene Murphy has raised concerns about the viability of funding for Portiuncula with the Children’s Hospital’s current price tag of €1.7 billion expected to take up much of the health budget.

The HSE said in February that planing permission had been granted for the project and that tenders were being prepared, with a view towards commencing work this year.

However that came with a note of caution that the timeline for work is completely subject to funding, and that no money will be allocated to any project until the 2019 Capital Plan is agreed on.

“The promises made by the Minister in the most recent PQ ring rather hollow as all of these promises depend on inclusion in the HSE Capital Plan,” Deputy Murphy said.

Reading between the lines of the Minister’s comments on “having regard to available capital funding, the number of large national capital projects currently underway, the cash flow requirements attaching to each project and the relevant priority”, Eugene Murphy said he would still be concerned.

“Bed space and overall capacity is reaching critical levels at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe and the new 50 bed unit at the hospital is shovel ready and just awaiting the green light by Government.”

But he added that “It looks unlikely this will happen anytime soon.”

More than €100 million in savings in this year’s Capital Budget will have to be found to cover the cost overruns at the Children’s Hospital.

More than half of those saving will have to be made by the Department of Health, which is likely to have a significant impact on infrastructure projects.

Plans submitted for €46 million Oranmore housing development

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Plans submitted for €46 million housing development in Oranmore

Plans are in the works for a €46 million housing development in Moneyduff and Oranmduff townlands of Oranmore.

Arlaun Limited has submitted a planing application to An Bord Pleanála for a housing development consisting of 212 homes and a creche.

The proposed development consists of 58 four-bed, semi-detached houses; 54 three-bed, semi-detached houses; 16 four-bed, detached houses; 16 three-bed, terraced units; 12 two-bed, terrced units; and 56 two-bed duplex units.

The application was made directly to An Bord Pleanála as a Strategic Housing Development, which covers developments of more than 100 units or 200 student bed spaces.

According to the developer “The proposed development will assist Galway County Council in meeting its commitment to provide for residential development and for associated support development, which will ensure the protection of existing residential amenity and will contribute to sustainable residential neighbourhoods”.

“In summary, it is submitted that the proposed development results in a development which accords fully with the proper planning and development of the area while providing an attractive, high quality, contemporary development which enhances the development of Oranmore.”

Work on the proposed development would also involve the creation of a new access road onto the North-South Oranmore Distributor Road for cars and pedestrians.

An Bord Pleanála requested further information information from the developer on the potential environmental and archaeological impact of this project, as well as a flood risk assessment.

An Archaeological Impact Assessment was prepared by consultant archaeologist Richard Crumlish and Historic Buildings Consultant Anne Carey with a conservation management plan for the site of Moneyduff Castle.

The Flood Risk assessment said that there was no risk of the project affecting nearby wetlands.

Parking at the proposed estate would come to a total of 409 spaces, more than the 393 required for a development of this size according to planning documents.

The plans also include a network of footpaths linking the estate to Oranmore town centre via the existing Cill Clocha housing estate to the north, along with parking spaces for 146 bicycles.

As housing projects above a certain size are obliged to include childcare facilities, this project also includes plans for a creche which could accommodate 58 children and 10 staff.

This case is due to be decided by An Bord Pleanála by August 6 of this year.

Eastern European firm buys up Galway homes in €150 million deal

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily business Galway house prices increase 2.1%

The Eastern European property company LRC Group has taken ownership of 600 homes and commercial properties in a €150 million deal.

The deal with Oaktree affliate Targeted Investment Opportunities sees LRC acquire a large portfolio of buy to let homes and businesses across Galway, Cork, and Dublin.

According to the Irish Times the deal was concluded roughly two weeks ago, with LRC acquiring the property portfolio from TIO shortly before it was due to go on the open market.

Neither company has made any comment on the transaction.

All the residential properties in this portfolio are understood to be buy-to-let, with 80 percent of them currently occupied.

Founded in 1995 by Israeli investor Yehuda Barisha, LRC now boasts a property portfolio worth over €5 billion.

LRC most recent other transaction include a €10 million deal to pick up Smithfields Lofts in February of 2018, acquiring 50 homes.

Last year it also bought the Irish hotel company Amaris Hospitality for €678 million from US equity firm Lone Star.

€50 million city office development gets the go ahead

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news €50 million office development in Ballybrit approved

Planning approval has been granted for a large scale office campus in Ballybrit in the first phase of a new business district for the east side of the city.

McDonagh Capital Investments Limited sought a ten year grant of planning permission to build three office blocks as part of its eastgate development.

The office space will be delivered across three blocks. Block 1 is an eight storey building, Block 2 is designed as a six storey building over a basement, and the final office block will be five stories with a basement.

Between the three blocks the development will add 17,433m² of Grade 1 office space in the east of the city.

City planners welcomed the scale of the development, saying “The proposed increase in height and subsequent density is to be welcomed as it would maximise the use of a finite, serviced resource”.

The development was also described as establishing a good pattern of modern development in a low density industrial area.

When completed the applicant says that this development will have the capacity to employ 1,500 people.

Also included in the planning documentation is a single storey café and two ESB substations.

Entrance and exit onto the site will be via Bothar na Mine and the Ballybrit Business Park road for cars.

Parking will be achieved through a surface car park with 421 spaces and further bicycle parking with 120 spaces.

Last December the city council made a request for further information asking the developer to provide more details on the landscaping plan.

McDonagh Capital was also informed that the plans did not comply with fire safety requirements about access for fire brigade vehicles and would have to be altered.

Only one submission was made to the city council about this development. Galway Chamber wrote express its support for the project which it said would “provide much needed Grade 1 office accommodation for businesses in the area as well as attracting foreign direct assessment”.

The city council said that the development should feature “a minimum of two professional pieces of civic artwork/features and shall be sponsored by the developer”.

The developer was also required to pay €450,000 towards upgrades to the junctions between the Tuam road and Bothar na Mine, as well as between Bothar na Mine and the Monivea road and Bothar na dTreabh.

A further contribution of €493,886 must be made by the developer towards the cost of public services in the area which facilitate the project.

This application is for Phase 1 of the €120 million Eastgate  planned by McDonagh Capital which will consist of offices, public amenity spaces, and a 193 bed hotel.

Galway city council granted planning approval with 25 conditions attached.

Over €800,000 spent on private ambulances at Galway hospitals in 2018

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Ambulance personnel to stage 24 strike next week

Over €800,000 was spent on private ambulances at University Hospital Galway and Portiuncula Hospital last year.

UHG spent €511,436 on private ambulances in 2018, lower than the three years before that but more than three times as much as in 2011 when the hospital only spent €139,802.

While Portiuncula Hospital spent another €296,744 last year, nearly six times as higher than €50,108 in 2011.

The figures were released to Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly by the HSE in response to a question on the total amount spent at Irish hospitals over an eight year period.

In total over €9 million was spent by hospitals on private ambulance operators last year compared with €2.1 million in 2011.

Letterkenny University racked up the highest bill, spending €1 million by itself.

Deputy O’Reilly said that the rapidly increasing spend on ambulance services is evidence of “the drive towards the privatisation of our health services under Fine Gael”.

She said that it would make greater economic sense in the long run for that money to be spent on purchasing and staffing publicly owned ambulances.

“Unless the HSE invests in new ambulances and invests in training additional staff, the health service will become even more reliant on private providers.”

Minister pledges to consider abolishing two-tier pay for teachers

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Almost 1,000 Ukrainian pupils enrolled in Galway schools

Minister for Education Joe McHugh has pledged to consider efforts to abolish the two tier pay grade for teachers.

The Minister was addressing the annual conference of the Irish National Teachers Organisation taking place in Galway this week.

He said that pat scales would be on the table for reconsideration in an upcoming pay review or in further pay talks, the Irish Times reports.

A joint statement was agreed by the government and unions on revisiting these issues on Monday.

In speaking at the conference, Minister McHugh acknowledged that there is “unfinished business” about pay inequality that needs to be addressed.

The INTO has said that teachers recruited after 2011 must be paid equally with their longer serving colleagues.

The current public sector pay deal is set to expire next year and will be followed by more rounds of negotiating.

Incoming INMO general secretary Mr John Boyle welcomed the Minister’s speech. He said that most teachers have not received a pay raise since 2007.

He said that the union will also be fighting for pay equality between primary and secondary school teachers in the upcoming negotiations.

The Department of Public Expenditure played down speculation of a quick end to the two tier pay scales ahead of the current deal’s ending.

According to the Irish Times the Department said there is no commitment to address this outside of talks on the next public sector pay deal.

The INTO conference is in its second day at the Galmont Hotel in Galway city and will finish up tomorrow.

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