Connacht Tribune
State is facing massive fines over Derrybrien
Environmental issues surrounding a controversial South Galway windfarm could end up costing the Irish Government more than €4 million in fines.
The Derrybrien Windfarm, situated on the Slieve Aughty Mountain, has in the past seen devastating landslides that have threatened local homes.
And last week the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) advised that Ireland should face substantial and increasing penalties because of its failure to fulfil a court order related to the facility.
The windfarm was developed by the ESB to generate electricity more than 15 years ago – but it has also been dogged by controversy from the start, reaching a pitch with a massive landslide in 2003.
In 2008, the Irish authorities informed the Commission that the windfarm operator (ESB) had agreed to provide an updated environmental impact assessment.
David Murray, Chairman of the South Galway Flood Relief Committee, said that there was still no proper environmental impact analysis – leaving the Irish Government facing stiff fines as a result.
“On the one hand the Government says it’s committed to action on environmental action and on the other they are incapable of the right action.
“We’re throwing money away on fines because of our carbon consumption and then we’re throwing even more money after that because we can’t develop these sites properly,” he said.
The original Environmental Impact Assessment of the Derrybrien Windfarm indicated that there would be no additional drainage needed on the four square kilometre site, sitting on top of a 350m peak on the Slieve Aughty Mountains.
Mr Murray said that after the 2003 landslide happened the developers put in place a robust drainage scheme, which involved digging six feet wide and eight feet deep drains from each of the 71 turbine bases.
He added that drainage of the site was further impacted by the clear-felling of over 200 hectares of forest, over 25 kilometres of new drains and over 17 kilometres of roads were constructed.
“With no impact assessment, there was no consideration of how these changes would affect the hydrology of the mountain and its influence on the subsequent flooding of South Galway in 2005,” he said.
In November 2009, Hugh O’Donnell and his family from Beagh had to be rescued by helicopter after their home was rapidly engulfed by flood waters.
“We want a proper assessment on any impacts of mountain operations in this area and retrospective mitigation to ensure that potential flooding impacts from the windfarm are mitigated in some way.
“What kind of message are the Government sending about windfarm development if we are steadfastly ignoring best-practice and the concerns of the people?
“Why do we have to look to Europe to solve this and why is there nothing being done? There are many questions to be answered about our Government’s inaction,” Mr Murray added.
Responding to the story this week, the ESB stated: “ESB, through its subsidiary Gort Wind Farm Limited, constructed a wind farm at Derrybrien within the Slieve Aughty Mountains between Loughrea and Gort in County Galway.
“The wind farm has been in production since 2006. We are aware of the court case between the European Commission and the Irish Government, and understand from our discussions with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government that a final ruling is expected from the European Court of Justice in the coming months”.
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
