Connacht Tribune
€200k compensation to get flood families to move
Dozens of householders in County Galway, whose properties were flooded during the disastrous winter of 2009 and again last year, could get funding of up to €200,000 to relocate from their current homes.
But such a fund would only apply to those living in areas where there is no possibility of a flood relief programme working.
At the time of the severe flooding several families were forced to move from their homes and into rented accommodation for months on end so that essential repairs could be carried out on their properties.
The worst-affected areas at the time included Claregalway, Carnmore and Ballinasloe while a number of houses in South Galway were also badly damaged by flood waters. County Galway was one of the worst affected by the non-stop rainfalls.
The Government is now considering the possibility of giving householders, who live in recognised flood plains and whose properties had flooded in the past, a sum of money to relocate if they so wish.
Following the 2009 disaster, in particular, many householders cannot get flood insurance cover as the risk of repeat flooding is considered too great. Even the provision of a flood wall in Ballinasloe, which protects around 100 homes, is not sufficient for some insurance companies to provide cover.
Minister Sean Canney, who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works, said that the relocation scheme would apply to those who live in areas in which no flood relief programme would work.
He said that the scheme would not apply to the parts of Ballinasloe which were affected by flooding as there was an engineering solution in place to prevent these houses from a repeat situation.
Minister Canney also said that flood relief schemes had been carried out in the Claregalway area and one is planned for near Tuam – so those living in these locations would not qualify for the relocation plan.
The proposals would only apply to flooded households that cannot access insurance, whose residential property is not sustainable, and where there is no alternative solution.
The scheme is expected to cost an initial €2 million but if it gets up and running, it would require funding to the tune of nearly €20 million to implement. It is understood that several County Galway families would be interested in applying for such a relocation scheme.
It is expected that the scheme will initially focus primarily on those whose homes have been rendered uninhabitable due to the floods in the winters of 2015 and 2016.
Under the proposals, householders would be asked to meet the local authorities, the OPW and the Department of Social Protection to assess if they are eligible. A homeowner would then have three months to formally accept the offer of relocation.
The scheme would allow for a family to receive financial assistance to purchase a new home. The amount would be based on market value in the area and guidance from the local authority, but would not exceed €200,000.
A legal agreement would be drawn up between the two sides, which would allow for the demolition of their house. “This is a voluntary scheme and there is no compulsion on any householder to accept it,” Cllr Canney told the Connacht Tribune.
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
