Connacht Tribune
Moycullen expansion gets green light despite traffic concerns
The construction of more than 200 houses and apartments in Moycullen has been described as premature pending the provision of a bypass for the village.
Planning permission has been granted for the construction of 113 houses in Moycullen while there are planning applications before Galway County Council for the provision of more than 70 other residential units.
But some local residents are concerned that the infrastructure in Moycullen cannot accommodate an additional 200 houses and particularly when it comes to the quality of footpaths while questions have been raised about the impact that this would have on the main sewage treatment plant in the village.
There are also demands for traffic calming measures to be implemented on the Mountain Road out of Moycullen where most of these residential units are planned.
However, Cllr Noel Thomas has told the Connacht Tribune that such development was welcome for the village in view of the shortage of houses that there are in towns and villages within “shouting distance” of Galway city.
“The traffic situation in Moycullen is chronic at the moment and I don’t think that the provision of an additional 200 residential units is going to make it any worse. I am of the firm belief that these developments should happen,” Cllr Thomas added.
The Fianna Fail councillor said that there was no indication when a new bypass for the village would be provided but he was advocating that essential housing development be provided in Moycullen because of the demand that is out there.
Recently, Galway County Council granted an extension of time to the Comer Group for a 113-house development to be built at Kylebroghlan, Moycullen – this development includes the provision of 24 five-bedroom houses which are expected to command prices at the latter end of the six-figure sum.
A planning application has also been submitted to the Council for the development of an eleven-bed B&B in Moycullen along with 16 one, two and three bedroom apartments – also at Kylebroughlan, Moycullen, which is located on the Mountain Road towards Spiddal.
There is some opposition to this development on the grounds that the three-storey development will overshadow a neighbouring property and will restrict sunlight. It has also been argued that the development will compromise the privacy of the neighbouring dwellinghouse.
Údarás na Gaeltachta have made a submission asking that Article 47 of the Planning Act which relates to the Irish language be implemented.
They want all signage on the building, which also includes office and commercial units, to be in Irish. They have also asked that all efforts be made to promote and protect the Irish language as laid out in local planning for the Gaeltacht
It is also proposed to provide An additional 30 dwellings which include three and four bedroom detached houses along with semi-detached units around the same location but this is being opposed on the grounds that it should not be permitted until the Moycullen bypass is constructed.
There are also plans to provide an additional 30 houses in the village which is expected to grow considerably over the coming years. House prices are also expected to rise considerably given its location to the city.
But Cllr Thomas said that other towns and villages around the county would welcome such development with open arms. “We have a number of vacant retail units in Moycullen and these developments could ensure that they are occupied in the not too distant future,” he said.
He also wants these developments to be connected to the village with footpaths along with the provision of essential playing facilities.
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.
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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.
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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
