Breaking News
Jury to resume deliberations in Savita inquest
A verdict is expected this afternoon at the final day of the inquest into the death of Savita Halappanavar.
The 31 year old dentist died at UHG last October following a miscarriage.
Galway bay fm news reports the jury has now broken for lunch and will resume its deliberations at 2 this afternoon.
The 11 person jury retired at 11.15 this morning to consider its verdict and adjourned for lunch at
12.50.
It was after Coroner Dr. Ciaran MacLoughlin read his summary of the evidence heard over seven days.
The jury has been charged with two verdicts to consider – that of a narrative verdict and that of
medical misadventure.
The Coroner explained that the narrative verdict is a finding of fact in accordance with the medical
evidence heard.
The second is a possible verdict of medical misadventure.
Dr. MacLoughlin explained this verdict may be considered if the jury feels there were any systemic
failures or deficiencies in her medical management.
He told the jury that this verdict has no inference or imposition of civil or criminal liability.
He went on to explain that the inquest verdict does not impose a criminal or civil liability on any
person or party and that this is a fact finding exercise in accordance with Section 30 of the Act.
The Coroner also made nine recommendations should the jury return a verdict of misadventure.
These include certain protocols on sepsis management, the adoption of a modified early warning score
chart by all hospitals and the separation of medical and nursing notes.
The jury was told that it may reject them, accept them or add to them but that any such
recommendations must be in accordance with Section 30 of the Act.
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.
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
