Galway Bay FM News Archives
Accountant’s voluntary service to aid families burned by property crash
Date Published: 16-Mar-2011
A GALWAY accountant has committed himself to setting up a voluntary association called PAMA aimed at helping ‘ordinary people’ who have been badly burnt in Ireland’s economic crash after either re-mortgaging or taking out loans to buy second properties.
The move comes in the week of a harrowing repossession case in Dublin’s High Court on Monday, involving a Ballinasloe farmer unable to pay back a €100,000 mortgage on his home.
The 61-year-old owed arrears of €20,000 on the house to Start Mortgages and was on €147 a week in farm assistance – he told the Court that he was trying to sell the house with surrounding land, that had been valued at €1 million in ‘the good times’.
He wanted to put together whatever money he could, to care for his 29-year-old son, who was in need of medical attention.
Start Mortgages were granted the re-possession order but Ms. Justice Elizabeth Dunne allowed a twelve month stay of execution on the order to give the man a chance to sell his house and farm.
This week, Monivea man, Michael F. Dolan – a candidate in the recent General Election – said that many ordinary individuals and families who had decided to invest in a second property over the past decade, now found themselves completely ‘over-stretched’.
PAMA (the People’s Asset Management Association), he said, would initially provide a network of contacts and advice guidelines for individuals in the Galway area, who now found themselves in a perilous financial situation with the banks and financial institutions about to ‘close in on them’.
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Galway Bay FM News Archives
Galway has country’s largest population of young people
Date Published: 07-May-2013
Galway has a population of young people which is more than twice the national average.
According to information gathered by the Central Statistics Office, Galway’s population of 20 to 24 year olds is more than twice the national average.
The number of 25-34 year olds in Galway is also more than the norm nationally, with the two main colleges thought to be the main reason.
However immigration in Galway is much higher than in other areas at 19.4 percent, compared to the national average of 12 percent.
Galway Bay FM News Archives
Call for direct donations to city charity shops
Date Published: 07-May-2013
A city councillor is encouraging people to donate goods directly to charity shops.
It follows allegations of thefts from clothes banks in Galway and across the country in recent months.
However, cameras are in place at some clothes banks and surveillance is carried out by local authorities.
Speaking on Galway Talks, Councillor Neil McNeilis said the problem of theft from clothes banks is widespread.
Galway Bay FM News Archives
Galway ‘Park and Ride’ could become permanent
Date Published: 07-May-2013
A park ‘n’ ride scheme from Carnmore into Galway city could become a permanent service if there is public demand.
That’s according to the Chief Executive of Galway Chamber of Commerce, Michael Coyle.
The pilot scheme will begin at 7.20 next Monday morning, May 13th.
Motorists will be able to park cars at the airport carpark in Carnmore and avail of a bus transfer to Forster Street in the city.
Buses will depart every 20 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes at offpeak times throughout the day, at a cost of 2 euro per journey.