Connacht Tribune
Galway rents up 70% since market bottomed out
The cost of private rental accommodation in Galway City has rocketed by around 72% over the past seven years, according to new figures from property website Daft.ie.
Rents are now averaging €1,131 in Galway City – up 71.9% since the market bottomed out in 2011 – and €777 in the county, a 52.2% increase on seven years ago.
In fact, rents in Galway City are now 34% above their previous peak at the height of the Celtic Tiger boom in 2008.
This week, Galway Simon Community warned that because rents have spiraled so far out of control, an unexpected bill on top of monthly rent could force someone into homelessness.
The Daft.ie figures show that rents have increased in Galway City by an average of 13.6% over the past year, while the comparative figure for the county is 10.4%.
Emma Dolan, Head of Client Services at Galway Simon Community said rent prices in Galway are “out of control” and people are having to sacrifice basic necessities to keep up with rent payments.
“The average rent in Galway City for a three-bed house is €1,125 and for a working family or single parent, this is a huge amount to pay out of their own wages, especially when they are a low or middle-income earner.
“Often, they are forced to choose between their rent and other necessities, and an unexpected bill can quite literally send them into a downward spiral towards homelessness. Also, for anyone relying on housing support benefits which, more often than not, don’t cover the full cost of rent, these people have to foot the bill for the difference.
“Even at the lower end of the scale, rent for a one-bed apartment is now an average of €834 in Galway City. How is anyone expected to be able to maintain this on a middle or low income? It’s not feasible.
“It’s very clear that the Rent Pressure Zone measures put in place have not worked. What we have is a supply issue and that is why people are having to stay in the rental sector.
“We also have hundreds of people stuck in emergency accommodation and homeless services in Galway that have nowhere to move on to because of the lack of supply and affordability in the private rental sector. We need the council to build social and affordable housing now, not in years to come,” she said.
In just a year, average rent prices in the city have gone up as much as €140. “The rate of rent increases in Galway and across the country is simply not sustainable for those on the other end having to pay these rents. Let’s not forget these are average prices, there are properties going for much higher than these averages,” Ms Dolan said.
Ronan Lyons of Daft.ie, an economist with Trinity College, said the only ‘medicine’ for high rents is more supply.
A breakdown of the figures from Daft.ie shows the average rent for a one-bed apartment in Galway City stands at €834 (up 13.5% year-on-year); a two-bed house is renting for €954 (up 13.9%); a three-bed house for €1,125 (up 12.3%); a four-bed house for €1,236 (up 12.6%) and a five-bed four €1,292 (up 8.7%).
In the first quarter of this year, a single bed in the city centre was averaging €388 per month (up 3.5% on the previous year) and €466 for a double bed (up 5.7%). In the city suburbs a single bed averaged €373 (up 10.4%).
In County Galway, a one-bed apartment is renting for an average of €556 per month (up 11.1% on last year); a two-bed house for €636 (up 11.2%); a three-bed house for €750 (up 9.6%); a four-bed for €824 (up 9.9%) and a five-bed for €861 (up 6.1%).
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
