Galway Bay FM News Archives
Minister circumvents recruitment embargo to reopen UHG theatres
Date Published: 22-Jun-2011
The Government has agreed to circumvent the national embargo on recruitment and will appoint a dozen new theatre nurses at University Hospital Galway (UHG).
The decision, confirmed yesterday by Minister for Health Dr James Reilly following a meeting with Galway-based consultants and Oireachtas members, will allow the hospital to start operating theatres at near full capacity again and will help to reduce waiting lists for surgeries.
Currently, every week, nearly one-third (31%) of all surgical theatres at UHG are closed because there is not enough theatre nurses employed to run them at full capacity.
The number of ‘whole-time-equivalent’ theatre nurses at UHG has fallen by 28 in the space of two years, from 129 in 2009 to just 92 now. There are 16 theatres in the city hospital – on Monday of every week, seven of the hospitals theatres are closed. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays just 12 of the hospital’s 16 operating theatres are open; while there are just ten open on Fridays, meaning six are closed.
Galway West Deputy Brain Walsh (FG) led a delegation of Oireachtas members from the constituency along with consultants at UHG to meet with the Minister yesterday.
Following the meeting, Minister Reilly confirmed that he would appoint 12 new theatre nurses to UHG, despite the ban on public sector recruitment. They will be appointed in the next two months.
A further three nurses will also be provided under the National Cancer Control Programme.
Minister Reilly also gave a commitment that he would investigate the possibility of appointing a further 12 student theatre nurses to UHG, so that they can be trained-up and help to further increase the capacity to have the theatres operating at full capacity.
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Date Published: 07-May-2013
Tuam has secured it’s second import of hay from the UK this afternoon in a bid to address the ongoing fodder crisis in the west.
A load of between 40 and 50 bales arrived at the Connacht Gold store in Airglooney for distribution throughout the county.
It follows a similar load last Thursday to the Tuam outlet.
The co-op also took a load of imported hay to the mart in Maam Cross over the weekend, however most of the bales had already been pre-assigned to farmers.
Further loads of hay are expected to arrive across the west and north west tonight and tomorrow morning.
Date Published: 09-May-2013
281 offers of social housing were made by the city and county councils last year.
Figures provided by the local authorities show that 46 of these were refused.
Galway city council made 193 such offers in 2012 with 41 of these refused.
The majority didn’t like the area they were offered or disliked the property itself.
Galway county council made 88 offers of social housing last year with 83 of these accepted.
Reasons given for refusing five properties focused on the location or that the property itself did not meet their needs.
Date Published: 13-May-2013
Galway Senator Trevor O’ Clochartaigh has called on the government to provide more support for victims of domestic violence.
Figures provided to the Sinn Fein Senator show that domestic violence support group COPE accompanied over 80 women to court in Galway last year, but a further 214 women were unable to avail of such assistance.
Senator O Clochartaigh told Galway Bay fm news that more needs to be done to support victims of domestic violence.
Over 33,000 families in Galway are to benefit from a €100 increase in Child Benefit payments this week.
Free event in city to showcase how to recycle food waste
Galway Fire Services called out to gorse fires in three locations in the past 24 hours.
SuperValu parent company takes ownership of Knocknacarra landbank
€11m fit-out for new City Hall in Galway will go to tender
East Galway farm sells for €1.3 million
Burkes return home to revel in their local roots
Official opening of Galway’s new pedestrian and cycle bridge
OPW Minister to meet Council engineers on ‘flawed’ motorway design
Minister branded ‘a disgrace’ for reversing land rezoning in Galway City
