Breaking News
Information on pivotal Galway services as affected by the Status Red Alert
Galway Bay fm newsroom –
Galway County Council Offices and Libraries are closed today Thursday March 1st until further notice. Members of the Public can contact our emergency number 091-509069.
Essential services only are in operation. Salting of priority routes in accordance with the Winter Service plan is continuing. During the height of the weather event Fire Service responses to emergencies may be hampered and restricted. Response times may be increased. Members of the public are advised to take extra fire safety precautions at home.
Members of the public are asked where it is safe to do so, to clear fresh snow from footpaths directly outside their premises to prevent it from further compacting. The Office of Public Works have issued a high tide advisory notice for March 1st and people are advised to take the normal precautions in a period of high tide. The tides will be highest between Friday March 2nd and Sunday March 4th 2018.
The Red Status Warning remains in place which means that people take action to protect themselves and their properties.
Galway County Councils Crisis Management Team is continuing to meet to assess the current status and forecasts.
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County council Update re Water Suppplies
“Consumers generally are asked not to run taps. It is causing significant difficulties in many areas with water treatment plants barely able to keep up with demand along with other technical challenges posed by the severe weather. The following areas will experience reduced pressure and intermittent loss of supply over the next number of days :
Kilkerrin Moylough, Williamstown, Carraroe, Tir an Fhia, Letterfrack, Tully, Clifden.
Irish Water and Galway County Council are making every effort is being taken to keep these plants operational and keep water in supply but consumers are asked to conserve water as much as possible.”
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Due to red alert warning for the whole country all court sittings for today Thursday 1st March and tomorrow 2nd March have been cancelled.
All cases listed for Galway District Court stand adjourned to Galway District Court on Monday 5th March, 2018
All cases listed at Kilronan District Court stand adjourned to Kilronan District Court on the 7th June 2018.
All Circuit Court sittings stand adjourned to Tuesday 6th March.
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Due to Weather Red Alert Aer Arann Islands, Connemara Airport will be closed from lunch time today until Saturday morning.
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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