Connacht Tribune
More than 1,000 Galway jobs created by Enterprise Ireland in 2017
More than 1,000 new jobs were created by Enterprise Ireland in Galway last year – a record new high for the agency.
Companies in the city and county which are supported by the agency created a total of 1,044 jobs in 2017.
That brings the total amount of jobs from Enterprise Ireland backed companies in Galway to 8,103.
The net increase (job gains less the losses) was 707, which represents a net increase of 10% year-on-year.
The previous record had been set in 2016, when EI created 836 jobs, representing a net gain of 434. In 2015, the net gain was 433.
Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said: “The results are consistent with the strong employment performance across the economy. I am very pleased to see this strong level of job creation delivered for Galway by EI backed companies.
“The priority of my Department, through Enterprise Ireland is to support companies in Galway and right across the country to continue to build on this strong job creation performance.
“Whatever the outcome of the complex Brexit negotiations that lie ahead, it is vital that as a country we are ready and the Government continues to take initiatives to bolster the capacity of our enterprise agencies to drive exports and support investment.
“In recent months, Enterprise Ireland, through funding from my Department, has launched new measures to strengthen the rural and regional economy, and to provide quicker access to innovation funding for exporting companies.
Nationally, a total of 19,332 new jobs (10,309 net, up 5%) were created by EI companies last year, bringing the total employment created by the agency here to 209,338.
In 2017, there were net gains of 3,044 jobs in Dublin; 1,372 in Cork; 664 in Limerick and 427 in Tipperary.
EI Chief Executive Julie Sinnamon said: “Despite the challenge and uncertainty created by Brexit, Irish companies have continued to win sales around the world that have supported this strong job creation across all of the regions of Ireland.
“At Enterprise Ireland, our strategy ‘Build Scale, Expand Reach 2017-2020’ is focused on transforming the innovation and competitive capabilities of Irish enterprise, to expand the global reach of ambitious Irish companies into diversified export markets and we are pleased with the results of the first year of our new strategy.
“It is imperative, however, that Irish businesses continue to build on the strength of their 2017 performance and implement robust plans to prepare for the impact of Brexit.”
Minister of State for International Development and Galway East Deputy Ciarán Cannon described the figures as “excellent news”.
“These results are excellent news for Galway and are consistent with the strong employment performance across the economy. I am very pleased to see this strong level of job creation delivered for Galway by Government-backed companies.
“Fine Gael’s priority is to support companies here in Galway and right across the country to continue to build on this strong job creation performance. We are committed to strengthening our communities through creating employment, and building a sustainable future for all our citizens.
“Our regional Action Plan for Jobs is an excellent example of government agencies like Enterprise Ireland, local authorities, the Local Enterprise Offices and businesses working together to tackle regional issues. These results mark another step in the right direction for our regional plans.
“Job creation was evenly spread across the country, with every county seeing job increases. Two thirds (64%) of the new jobs created were outside of Dublin. We have seen strong jobs growth in the Construction, Engineering, Life-sciences, Digital Technology, Electronics, Food and ICT sectors across the country. The Action Plan for Rural Development which launched last year is committed to ensuring that the economic recovery is felt throughout Ireland and the creation of rural jobs is vital in order to achieve this,” said Minister Cannon.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
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.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
