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County council hears periodic speed limits could cost thousands
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Re-arrangements to speed limits that will come into effect throughout the county in February, may cost hundreds of thousands of euro.
Periodic speed limits were proposed as the best option at many county schools, but councillors were told at a meeting this week, that these would be very expensive.
Councillor Noel Thomas said there are serious concerns about safety at the Tullykyne Primary School in the Moycullen area.
He said flashing lights would be effective at that location.
There is a periodic speed limit with flashing lights at either side of the Baile Nua school, west of Moycullen.
Tooreena School on the Moycullen to Barna road has a similar system and Councillor Thomas said Tullykyne should be the same.
Councillor Peter Roche highlighted the situation at the Milltown Primary School in north Galway where, he said, added measures were vitally important.
Councillor Niamh Byrne that flashing lights may be out of order sometimes and this has happened at one side of the Baile Nua school just now.
Director of Roads Services, Jim Cullen explained that it costs €15,000 to install lights at any one school with maintenance costs on top of that.
This, he said, would put a huge strain on the county council’s budget.
Councillors from Connemara and from the Ballinasloe Electoral Area have expressed criticism of Transport Infrastructure Ireland over the absence of speed restrictions at two locations.
Efforts to bring in a 50 kilometres speed limit at Maam Cross in Connemara and at the Clonlyon Bridge east of Ballygar in north east Galway failed because this would not be in conformity with the Transport Infrastructure Ireland regulations.
Maam Cross is on the N. 59 road and Clonlyon Bridge is on the N. 63 road. Both of those roads are classified as national secondary roads where reductions in speed limits come under the ambit of Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
That meant that the only limitation that can be put on speed at these two location is 80 kilometre an hour.
It was agreed that an approach would be made to Transport Infrastructure Ireland to see if any further limitations could be imposed.
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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