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County secondary school retention rates slightly ahead of city
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Retention rates at secondary schools across the county are slightly ahead of those in the city.
The figures published by the Department of Education today show that retention rates in the county are an average of 93%, compared to 91% in the city.
The report presents the retention rates of pupils who entered the first year of the junior cycle in 2007.
It shows retention rates in second level schools remain at more than 90% – almost 8% higher than those who began in 1997.
In County Galway, 96% of students completed the junior cert while a retention rate of 90% was recorded for the leaving cert.
In the city, the rates were slightly lower for the junior cert at 95% and the leaving cert at 87%.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – The barrister for a Portumna farmer on trial for his aunt’s murder has urged the jury not to approach the case as if his client is a “monstrous person.”
Michael Scott, of Gortanumera, denies the murder charge, claiming he accidentally ran over her in a JCB teleporter on the 27th of April 2018.
The Prosecution and Defence teams have been making closing speeches in the Portumna murder trial
In his closing address, Michael Scott’s barrister, Paul Greene SC, told the jurors they might think his client is an “unlikeable person,” but he said it was their duty to approach the evidence coldly and without fear or favour.
To convict, he said they must be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Scott intended to kill or cause serious harm to his aunt, Chrissie Treacy, when he reversed over her in the yard outside her farmhouse.
“What’s really important is what he was thinking at that moment in time,” he said before suggesting the defence’s case that it was an accident was more persuasive.
Earlier, the prosecuting barrister, Dean Kelly SC, suggested what he did was a “deliberate act of murder” driven by a sense of entitlement and revenge over land they shared at Derryhiney in Portumna.
He also suggested the accused told lies about the state of his relationship with his aunt.
The judge will begin her address to the jurors tomorrow.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – A planning application is due to be lodged in May for a New Community Nursing Unit for Clifden.
Local Fine Gael Councillor Eileen Mannion has welcomed the confirmation for the proposed new 40 bed unit.
The project will be based on the grounds of St. Anne’s CNU and will involve the amalgamation of services provided at Clifden District Hospital and St.Anne’s Community Nursing Home.
Funding of €9.6 million for the new unit was announced in 2016.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Members of the public are invited to attend a mental health event taking place in Tuam tomorrow (22/03)
The free event is especially geared toward helping tackle mental health stigma and discrimination among women
National programme, See Change, has partnered with West Be Well, to host the ‘Let’s Talk Mental Health Judgement’ event.
It’s taking place from 11AM-1PM tomorrow at The Ard Rí Hotel in Tuam, with registration available on eventbrite.ie
Judge to begin her address to the jury tomorrow in Portumna murder trial
Planning application to be lodged in May for Community Nursing Unit in Clifden
Mental Health event taking place tomorrow in Tuam
City council closing Salthill car parks from 5pm due to expected high tides
Closing speeches underway in Portumna murder trial
City seeks to annex Oranmore, Claregalway, Moycullen and Barna in boundary extension
Man awarded €142,000 over unprovoked attack in toilet of County Galway pub
Tech consultants open Galway hub
Woman convicted of harassing social media guru
HSE accused of ‘environmental sabotage’ after felling 200 trees in Merlin Woods
