Breaking News
Final queries being dealt with at hearing on Westside hyperstore
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Day three of the oral hearing on a proposed superstore at Westside in the city is dealing with final queries in respect of the plans.
The 2 storey development on the Seamus Quirke road which could involve an anchor tenant such as Tesco, also includes plans for a café and a public plaza.
The development proposed for a site adjacent to the West side business park on the Seamus Quirke road is the subject of this oral hearing which got underway on Tuesday.
City council approved the development in June with 30 conditions, but the applicant T O’Higgins is appealing a condition regarding a new access road.
Several other parties including residents, RGDATA and An Taisce are also appealing the plans.
Mary Cunningham a resident of Mount Pleasant drive today sought clarification on plans for a recycle centre and car park on the eastern boundary of the site.
She also questioned the enforcement of opening times for the recycle centre, increased traffic congestion, and plans for the trees on Mount Pleasant drive.
An Bord Pleanala Inspector Derek Daly also asked for further details on the public plaza.
Architect Joseph Doyle said in the redesign of the scheme the team did work with a traffic consultant and land architect, and that the plan was to retain the trees.
He added they had already done a road safety audit and because of the improved Seamus Quirke road anticipated between 200 and 450 pedestrian shoppers per day.
Closing submissions on the plans will be heard at the Oral hearing this afternoon which is expected to conclude today.
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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