Breaking News
Carna native to stand down as acting Garda Commissioner at midnight
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Acting Garda Commissioner, Connemara-native Dónall Ó Cualáin, will step down from the position at midnight.
Mr. Ó Cualáin assumed the position in September following the resignation of then Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’ Sullivan.
Since September, Carna-native Dónall Ó Cualáin has been acting Garda Commissioner as a lengthy campaign sought a replacement for outgoing Commissioner Nóirín O’ Sullivan.
Her resignation came as no great surprise to many and followed some twelve months of mounting pressure for her to step down from the position.
Acting commissioner Ó Cualáin, a fluent-Irish speaker, was previously a sergeant on the Aran Islands before becoming a Superintendent and subsequently Chief Superintendent of the Galway garda division.
In 2012, he was appointed as an assistant commissioner and two years later Nóirín Ó Sullivan appointed him as deputy commissioner.
Mr. Ó Cualáin had already been covering the commissioner role during the extended summer holiday period while Nóirín Ó Sullivan was on leave.
At the time, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said it would likely be a lengthy process to select her replacement – but said he was pleased Deputy Commissioner Ó Cualáin was stepping into the role.
However, at that time, Mr. Ó Cualáin announced that while he would remain in the interim position until a replacement was found, he would not be putting himself forward for the permanent job.
Now, Acting Commissioner Ó Cualáin will step down at one minute past midnight, to make way for new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
Mr. Harris will be attested at Kevin Street Divisional Headquarters in Dublin in a private ceremony to be held just after midnight.
The full preferred route for the Galway-Athlone cycleway project will be published online tomorrow.
It follows consultation with landowners over the past year – though there’s been vocal opposition in some areas.
The preferred route starts near Ballyloughane Beach on the east side of Galway City, and snakes it way towards Athlone, taking in a wide range of towns, villages and hinterland.
The anchor points are Oranmore, Renville, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Kinvara, Gort, Woodford, Portumna, Meelick, Clonfert, Ballinasloe, Shannonbridge and Athlone Castle.
But while there’s no opposition to the cycleway in principal, there’s some discontent about certain elements of the emerging option.
There’s been criticism over alleged interference with areas of special conservation in South Galway, as well an alleged lack of engagement with some landowners in East Galway.
The entire preferred route will be published on the project website tomorrow and can be viewed at GalwayToAthloneCycleway.com.
Four public information events are also to be held next week.
They’ll be held at the Oranmore Lodge Hotel on Tuesday, the Lady Gregory Hotel in Gort on Wednesday, Portumna Community Hall on Thursday and at the Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe on Friday.
It’s expected a planning application for the ambitious project will be lodged with An Bord Pleanala sometime in 2024.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Local TD Mairead Farrell says she has an awful sense that the Government is bringing Ireland “full circle” back to 2008.
Speaking during a debate in the Dáil, she argued it hasn’t done close to enough to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis.
And she said rents prices are out of control – and claimed the Government is now presiding over people being thrown out on the streets.
Sinn Fein Deputy Farrell said the reality is, the current situation is a direct result of Government policy.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway-based Blue Teapot Theatre Company has received recognition as a provider of a quallity assurance programme.
The local company based in Galway city is well-known for its work involving people with intellectual disabilities in theatre.
The QQI process recognises the high quality work in developing, enhancing and implementing quality assurance processes.
Last year, the group bought a new building on Munster Avenue, which it’s now been revealed was possible thanks to Social Finance Foundation, Clann Credo.
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