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Call for Dáil recall to address flooding crisis
A Galway TD has called for an urgent recall of the Dáil to discuss measures necessary to address the flooding crisis.
Fianna Fáil’s Colm Keaveney has written to the Taoiseach requesting the recall.
“As a representative of one of the worst hit constituencies in the present flooding crisis, I have been frankly appalled at the lack of urgency in the Governments response. The Taoiseach has been invisible in recent days despite numerous warnings issued by Met Éireann about the threat of flooding.
“The UK has been hit by similar flooding and Prime Minister Cameron, to his credit, has been highly visible in affected areas. At the very least, people dealing with the aftermath of flooding in York and other areas can feel that their Government and Prime Minister have noticed their plight. His presence on the ground is providing reassurance to communities.
“With the Dáil heading into its final few weeks before the General Election, time is now limited to agree and implement necessary legislation and funding to deal with the immediate consequences of the flooding and to prepare for future storms.
“Any failure to agree on all necessary measures before the dissolution of this Dáil could result in a delay of two or three months in putting any legislation in place. This will narrow the window of opportunity to begin the installation of flood defences where needed in preparation for the Winter of 2016.
“Any such measures will require significant additional funding to be voted through by the Dáil. I also believe that legislation will be needed to provide for an accelerated planning procedure to be put in place for such flood defences. These measures will need to be debated, agreed and legislated for prior to the dissolution of the Dáil.
“In the shorter term, the people of South Galway, in towns such as Gort, Portumna and Craughwell, and in neighboring counties such as south Roscommon and Tipperary as well as further afield in Cork will require significant financial aid to assist them in coping with the consequences of flood damage.
“The current schemes put in place by the Government are insufficient in terms of the funding available and in terms of their scope. Too many people currently affected by flooding are excluded from these schemes.
“The Government parties also need to give a full account of what measures they have taken in office to tackle flooding. A number of deadlines under the EU Floods Directive have passed under this government. What, if any of them have been met?
“There is little evidence on the ground that the Government parties have done anything to honour this directive and as such they have failed communities throughout the country,” said Deputy Keaveney.
Plans to develop a marine park in Conamara were dealt a major blow this week after An Bórd Pleanála refused to grant planning permission for the development.
Galway County Council had already rejected proposals by Údarás na Gaeltachta to develop Páirc na Mara on lands east of Cill Chiaráin village.
The regional authority responsible for economic, social and cultural development of the Gaeltacht, appealed the decision to the planning appeals board but it too has refused to grant permission.
This latest decision blows a big hole in Údarás na Gaeltachta’s job creation plans for Conamara – its five-year employment strategy launched last year hinged on jobs growth from Páirc na Mara.
Reacting, in a statement to the Connacht Tribune, Údarás na Gaeltachta said it was awaiting ABP’s Inspector’s Report.
“This will help to inform how we proceed in the coming weeks. We remain committed to the Páirc na Mara project and to sustainable development and job creation in the Iorras Aithneach Gaeltacht area,” it added.
In a letter from ABP member, Chris McGarry, the Board gave two reasons for refusing the plan.
They related to the lack of information about the potential impacts of climate change; and the potential impact on water levels and the water supply in nearby water sources.
The proposal involved phase one of the continued development of a marine innovation park on a brownfield site of nine hectares, to include a number of marine-based industrial facilities and educational and applied research sites at Cill Chiaráin.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
A standby transformer which could have averted a major electricity outage across Galway City was out of action due to moving outdoor equipment into a new building. –
The cause of the power cut affecting 8,000 residents and forcing hundreds of businesses to shut for most of last Thursday emerged as City Chief Executive Brendan McGrath said the chronic traffic delays proved that a ring road and a fourth bridge over the Corrib was desperately needed.
Matt Cunningham, area manager for ESB Networks, declined to speak to the Connacht Tribune – but in an interview on Galway Bay FM he explained that the fault occurred at the ESB 110kv substation in Ballybane where four high voltage transformers are in operation.
“One tripped out on a fault…all these transformers have protection relays and protection gear on them but unfortunately this one tripped out,” he stated.
Crews were in the middle of a major project transferring all of the outdoor switch gear inside a new building at the site.
“The standby one [transformer] was not on stand-by, it was switched out in preparation for this other work but we were able to get it back as quickly as we could.”
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Publican Thomas Cheevers was sitting at home last Thursday ahead of St Patrick’s Day, traditionally one of the biggest days in the calendar of his Moylough pub.
He decided to check the cameras of his pub to see if his nephew Matthew was managing okay behind the bar when he noticed a familiar face.
“I said to my wife, ‘oh my God Bono’s sitting at the counter’. She wouldn’t believe me. Then I showed her and there he was with my dad. And Edward Burns sitting beside him having a pint.”
There were around ten regulars in Cheevers last Thursday at 6.30pm when the Hollywood actor popped his head inside.
“Are we okay to have a pint?” he asked. Outside two Range Rovers had pulled up.
When he got the thumbs up, in came the U2 frontman, his wife Ali Hewson, their daughters Eve and Jordan, former supermodel Christy Turlington, her husband Ed.
Thomas legged it to the bar to discover his dad, Des, was making a cup of tea for Ali who was driving. Another regular, Philip Windsor, had bought the two lads their Guinness. The women at the window seat sat and drank hot whiskeys.
“It was surreal, very peculiar. My dad was chatting away to Bono. They were talking about the rugby match on Saturday. I knew I knew Ed Burns’ face but couldn’t place him. I told him I know you’re an actor and it must be strange not to be asked for photos. He said that’s what happens when you hang out with Bono.”
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
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