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Galway senator calls for government response to flood damage
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway County and City Councils should not be expected to take on the entire cost of required repairs following recent storm damage.
That’s according to Galway Senator Trevor O’Clochartaigh, who claims the government should respond to the recent devastation caused by the stormy conditions.
It follows earlier calls by City Councillor Peter Keane for the immediate provision of an emergency repair fund for businesses that have been damaged across the county.
Businesses in areas including the Spanish Arch, Salthill and Flood Street suffered extensive damage during yesterday’s storm.
In Connemara, ten houses in Ervellagh, west of Roundstone, remain cut off after the roads in the area were torn up by the storm.
Landowners along the Connemara coastline are today assessing the damage- walls were knocked, and piers, roads, graveyards and footpaths damaged.
It’s reported that the famous shipwreck, ‘The Plassy’ on the island of Inis Oirr has also been weather-damaged.
A major clean-up is continuing across the county this evening, but more stormy weather is forecast for tomorrow, and the city council have warned that there is the potential for more flooding.
Speaking to Galway Bay fm news, Senator O’Clochartaigh says the government needs to respond.
Meanwhile, the Leisureland complex in Salthill remains closed for the next few days following extensive flood damage.
A combined heating unit, which was installed by the council last year, was damaged by fire when the leisure centre flooded at high tide yesterday morning.
The pool and gym were also submerged.
Councillor Peter Keane says the council will receive a report on the full extent of the damage this week.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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