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65 new homes planned for Loughrea and Tuam

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65 new homes planned for Loughrea and Tuam

Galway County Council has announced plans to deliver more than 65 new homes on local authority-owned sites in Loughrea and Tuam.

The two new housing developments will be delivered on a brownfield at High Street in Tuam and on a 3.3-hectare greenfield site at Cosmona, Loughrea.


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Galway County Council has awarded design consultancy services contracts to Vincent Hannon Architects.

**No repro fee** Pictured at the signing of design consultancy services contracts for a proposed housing project in Loughrea (Front l-r) Brian Fahy (VHA Architects), Cllr Liam Carroll (Cathaoirleach Galway County Council), Liam Conneally (Chief Executive) and Eithne Murphy (Senior Executive Engineer) (Back l-r) Alan Brogan (Executive Engineer, Galway County Council) and Michael Owens (Director of Services). Photo Mike Shaughnessy.

Galway County Council says it intends to lodge planning applications for the housing projects this summer and advertising construction tenders before the end of 2024.

The post 65 new homes planned for Loughrea and Tuam appeared first on Galway Bay FM.

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Loughrea councillor Declan Kelly joins new Independent Ireland party

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Loughrea councillor Declan Kelly joins new Independent Ireland party

Loughrea councillor Declan Kelly has joined the new Independent Ireland party ahead of June’s local elections.

It was set up late last year, with Galway/Roscommon Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice becoming the third TD to join last month.


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Creagh native Declan Kelly is currently serving as an Independent councillor for the areas of Loughrea, Gort and Kinvara.

He is the second Galway councillor to join the Independent Ireland party, after Ballinasloe councillor Declan Geraghty joined two weeks ago.

The post Loughrea councillor Declan Kelly joins new Independent Ireland party appeared first on Galway Bay FM.

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Nina Carberry to seek selection to run as a Fine Gael Candidate in the forthcoming European Elections

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Nina Carberry to seek selection to run as a Fine Gael Candidate in the forthcoming European Elections

It has been revealed that Nina Carberry, a former champion jockey and a seven-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival, is seeking selection to run in the European Elections as a Fine Gael candidate for the Midlands-North West Constituency.

This constituency stretches from Galway in the West to Donegal in the North and across to Meath in the East.


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As revealed this afternoon in the Irish Independent, Ms Carberry said in a letter released to members that she wanted to contest the European Elections for Fine Gael to ensure a bright future for all.

She added that she wanted to be a champion for balanced regional development, making sure every town and village has access to the services and infrastructure that allow people to live and work locally concluding by a request for their support at the upcoming Midlands Northwest Selection Convention.

There are five seats in the constituency, one more than in 2019 with two from Fine Gael in Maria Walsh and Colm Markey, Independent Luke Ming Flanagan and Chris McManus of Sinn Fein the current MEP’s.

The post Nina Carberry to seek selection to run as a Fine Gael Candidate in the forthcoming European Elections appeared first on Galway Bay FM.

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Galway City Council called on to prioritise pitch drainage on the Eastside of the City

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Galway City Council called on to prioritise pitch drainage on the Eastside of the City

A Fianna Fail Councillor has called on Galway City Council Recreation and Amenity to prioritise pitch drainage on the East Side of the City.

Councillor Alan Cheevers says that capital sports funding allocated from the last round of capital sports funding for pitch drainage for Ballybane and Doughiska has not been drawn down up to a total of €300,000.


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He added that the pitches are vital to local sports clubs.

Speaking this afternoon, Councillor Cheevers said that the money is there for the work to be done.

The post Galway City Council called on to prioritise pitch drainage on the Eastside of the City appeared first on Galway Bay FM.

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Man pleads guilty to sexual assault at Galway Garda HQ

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From this week's Galway City Tribune

From this week's Galway City Tribune

Man pleads guilty to sexual assault at Galway Garda HQ Man pleads guilty to sexual assault at Galway Garda HQ

A 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a female at the Garda Regional HQ in Galway.

The man is accused of sexual assault at the station in Murrough, Renmore, on November 21, 2023.

He was previously charged with other offences allegedly committed at the regional headquarters and the Old Dublin Road on the same date. Those charges include two allegations that he exposed his genitals in public places.

At Galway District Court, Garda Michael Byrne gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The court heard the accused made no reply after caution to the charge of sexual assault.

The court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disposal of the charges in the district court on a plea of guilty only.

At Galway District Court on Wednesday, defence barrister Gary McDonald BL, said he had been instructed that his client was entering a guilty plea. Counsel asked that the case be put back to a later date for sentencing.

Judge Mary Fahy said time would be also be required to allow for the preparation of victim impact statements and remanded him in custody to appear again on March 27.

In the case, the man faces four other charges relating to alleged incidents on November 21, 2023.

He is charged with two offences contrary to Section 45 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. It is alleged the man exposed his genitals intending to cause fear, distress or alarm to another person at the Garda Regional HQ and at the Old Dublin Road

He was further charged with resisting a peace officer, Garda Michael Byrne, in the execution of his duty at the Old Dublin Road.

The man was also charged with a breach of the peace public order offence, also at the old Dublin Road.

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University of Galway’s Nelson Mandela Anti-Racism Week opens tomorrow

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University of Galway’s Nelson Mandela Anti-Racism Week opens tomorrow

A number of events are taking place this week for the University of Galway’s Nelson Mandela Anti-Racism Week.

It will be launched at Aula Maxima tomorrow wrapping up with a special celebration on Sunday.


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As the Quadrangle hosts the official launch at midday tomorrow, a Cultural Appreciation Event will be taking place at Aras na Mac Leinn.

There will be talks, exhibitions, and panel discussions throughout the week, while Thursday will be the Wear Red Day Campaign with the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

A theatre performance exploring racism will take place on Saturday from 6pm, while on Sunday, the Indian Society will celebrate Holi – a Hindu festival of colour.

More information of all events can be found on the university’s website.

 

The post University of Galway’s Nelson Mandela Anti-Racism Week opens tomorrow appeared first on Galway Bay FM.

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Support services ‘must be in place’ in Ballybane for asylum seekers

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From this week's Galway City Tribune

From this week's Galway City Tribune

Support services ‘must be in place’ in Ballybane for asylum seekers Support services ‘must be in place’ in Ballybane for asylum seekers

Government guarantees of sufficient support services on the east side of Galway City have been demanded by a local councillor following a decision to locate 130 international protection beds in the area.

In a letter to the Minister for Children, Equality, Diversity, Integration and Youth (CEDIY), Cllr Declan McDonnell said every effort should be made to avoid placing additional strain on Ballybane, which he described as “one of the most deprived areas of Galway City”.

Cllr McDonnell said shortages in school places, healthcare and accommodation needed to be addressed by Government.

In the correspondence, the Independent councillor for Galway City East said the briefing note sent to councillors from the Department stated that they would work closely with the HSE to facilitate the provision of healthcare to international protection applicants.

“Existing medical card holders are already experiencing difficulty in accessing GP services, because of a shortage of doctors . . . with other healthcare services also under pressure.

“The Department cannot dismiss its obligation to ensure that dedicated extra resources are put in place in order to avoid creating further hardship for the existing population. Simply providing medical cards for another 130 people in this neighbourhood helps neither them nor the people of the area,” said Cllr McDonnell.

As revealed by the Galway City Tribune last week, a one-year contract has been signed to provide accommodation for families seeking international protection at the formerly vacant Ballybane Neighbourhood Village Centre on Castlepark Road from March 20.

In his letter to the Minister, Cllr McDonnell said this was in an area bordered by electoral divisions classified as ‘very disadvantaged’ or ‘disadvantaged’ in the Pobal Deprivation Index 2022.

“With one of the highest levels of local authority housing in the city (18.7%), Ballybane is an area with higher-than-average unemployment levels and a higher-than-average proportion of lone-parent families.

“The 2022 Census shows that Ballybane has among the highest population densities in the city, with a total population of 13,453 population, of which almost 3,700 or 27% are non-Irish citizens,” he wrote.

Many people seeking international protection had been accommodated in the area already, said Cllr McDonnell, but there had not been a commensurate increase in resources locally.

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Lack of bus service leaves residents feeling “like animals in cages”

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From this week's Galway City Tribune

From this week's Galway City Tribune

Lack of bus service leaves residents feeling “like animals in cages” Lack of bus service leaves residents feeling “like animals in cages”

Thousands of people are being denied access to a bus because of a lack of progress on a bus turning circle in one part of Knocknacarra, leaving some residents feeling like “animals in cages”.

Councillor Donal Lyons said he has held multiple meetings with Galway City Council, City Direct and Bus Éireann in a bid to push for the major obstacle to creating a bus route for the Upper Ballymoneen road where 12 estates are located.

Two estates with plans for over 100 houses, one of them proposed by Galway City Council, were turned down due to lack of services which made residents too car dependent.

Last May, the Independent councillor’s motion calling on the City Council to enter negotiations with landowners to explore all options to create a bus turning bay on Ballymoneen Road was passed unanimously.

BusConnects, the first major overhaul of the bus network for years, published a plan to introduce buses to the Upper Ballymoneen Road, but Cllr Niall McNelis questioned whether this would ever go ahead without a bus turning circle.

City Direct has the licence for buses to run in the area but some years ago cancelled the route due to safety concerns of bus drivers as well as passengers caused by buses reversing into estates for the return journey.

One resident told the Galway City Tribune that the lack of a bus service was causing incredible hardship for young and old in Ballyburke.

“We have to walk 1.3km down to Knocknacarra to a bus stop at Ashleigh Grove. Then struggle back up that hill again to get shopping, bring kids to school, get to work.  We call it ‘heart attack hill’ it’s so steep. Parts of the road up here have no footpath,” she fumed.

“I know old people and people in wheelchairs who can’t get out because they don’t have a bus. The houses keep being built but still no space for a bus to turn. Nobody cares. We don’t all have cars.

“The government want us to walk, cycle, take buses, but they don’t put in footpaths, cycle lanes or buses. It’s so crazy. Many of us are prisoners in our own homes. They treat us like animals in cages.”

Cllr Lyons said there is not a month that goes by when he doesn’t have a plea from a constituent to help get a bus service.

“Older people really struggle up that severe hill, it’s a slog. They have to get their groceries delivered or pay for a taxi. We’re not talking about a major amount of land – maybe an acre or less,” he insisted.

“I really think Galway City Council should examine a Compulsory Purchase Order to create a turning circle – there is a public demand for it, the public are seriously missing out.”

The BusConnects consultants are due to give a presentation on the draft routes to city councillors at the May meeting.

“To my mind it puts the whole BusConnect proposals under question if they don’t provide a service for the thousands of people who live in this area. And that won’t happen if there isn’t a safe place for bus drivers to turn.”

Cllr Lyons said he also wants a revision of the draft route to introduce direct late-night buses between Knocknacarra and Salthill. Currently buses on the 410 finish just after 6pm.

“We have a state-of-the-art cinema, we have the Prom, people want to go swimming, go for a drink, go the many restaurants in Salthill. There is a proposal to run evening buses from Cappagh Road to Salthill but that takes in only a very small part of Knocknacarra, it’s only tokenism.”

Director of Services for Roads and Transport, Patrick Greene, previously told councillors that the National Transport Authority, which is in charge of rolling out BusConnects, was assessing all routes and the infrastructure needed.

Queries over changes to the bus routes in Mervue were also raised by Cllr Declan McDonnell (Ind) at a local authority meeting last week.

He said it would run through an established estate and made no sense.

The new route would enter old Mervue by Connolly Avenue, down Barry Avenue and then take a left up Tone Avenue and left again at Parnell Avenue to the main bus stop. The bus will then exit down McDermott Avenue and onto Connolly Avenue before heading onto Michael Collins Road.

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Former Mayor of Galway City to run as candidate for Independent Ireland in Local Elections

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Former Mayor of Galway City to run as candidate for Independent Ireland in Local Elections

Former Mayor of Galway City Noel Larkin has announced that he is to run in the local elections as a candidate for Independent Ireland in Galway City East.

The Councillor, who was Mayor of the city from 2016 to 2017, said that he was committed to representing the interests of Galway City with integrity and dedication.


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His decision to run as a candidate for Independent Ireland has been welcomed by TD’s Michael Fitzmaurice and Michael Collins.

Deputy Fitzmaurice said that Councillor Larkin adds significantly to a strong team of councillors and new candidates running across Galway City and County while Deputy Collins said that His dedication to serving the community and his track record of achievement speak volumes about his commitment to Galway City.

The post Former Mayor of Galway City to run as candidate for Independent Ireland in Local Elections appeared first on Galway Bay FM.

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