Galway Bay fm - News

A Galway TD has questioned when common sense will prevail over the increasingly unaffordable cost of childcare.
Deputy Catherine Connolly was contributing to a debate in the Dáil on what the Government can do to tackle the crisis.
She highlighted how four years ago, a Citizens Assembly recommended a move to a publicly-funded, accessible and regulated model.
But Independent Deputy Connolly said there's been no movement whatsoever on that.

The annual blackberry festival, Féile na bPuiteachaí returns to Inis Meáin this weekend. 
The Gaeltacht event celebrates all the uses of this small fruit, with workshops on blackberry ink-making, painting, crocheting and cocktail making. 
In its third year, the festival will share the spotlight with local vegetable growers, and a competition will be held to crown the island’s biggest potato.  
The event starts tomorrow morning, with the highlight taking place at 3pm according to founder Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh.

A major protest is planned in Loughrea this Sunday, over struggles to get new sports facilities.
Local groups have been crying out for a pitch for the area, and have been left out of the Local Area Plan due to zoning issues.
The Loughrea Sports and Community Development Group is seeking to develop a multi-use, multi-sport and recreation facility on land between the Bullaun and Kinculla roads.
Treasurer Albert Mannion says the plans are now in the hands of the Department of Local Government, as the county council and planning department have pushed back.
He is urging people to come out on Sunday to show that there is major support is behind them:

Well known-ATU leacturer Cáit Noone has been elected President of Galway Chamber of Commerce.
The respected leader in education and hospitality takes over from Eveanna Ryan for the upcoming year.
Cáit, who is currently living in Barna, was elected and ratified at the Annual General Meeting held this week.
Cáit has been working with Galway Chamber for the past few years, and outlines one of her main goals for her time in the role:

There's been a step forward in the long-running battle for an evening bus service between Loughrea and Galway city.
Galway East TD Sean Canney has received confirmation from the NTA that funding has been approved, after posing the question to the Minister for Transport.
The National Transport Authority has now agreed with Local Link Galway to go to tender, following agreement on the finalised timetable.
Independent Deputy Canney says now that the funding is in place, the process should move quite quickly: 

The City Council is being urged to make efforts to develop an eBike rental scheme for Galway.
While there is a TFI Bike Share Scheme, there are calls for Galway to follow the example of several other local authorities, who have introduced an eBike scheme.
City Councillor John Connolly will seek support from fellow representatives next month to ask the NTA to help develop an eBike rental scheme for the city.
Citing a recent walking and cycling survey in Galway, the Fianna Fáil councillor feels en eBike scheme would be quite attractive to people:

This year's Galway Docklands Festival will get underway this weekend. 
This year's event, organised by Galway Hooker Sailing Club, coincides with the RNLI’s Open Day, as the organisation marks 200 years of service. 
The festival takes place this Saturday from midday to 4PM at Galway Bay Seafoods, and includes boat tours, food tastings and family activities. 
Collette Furey, of Galway Hooker Sailing Club, says there will be something for everyone. 

A youth homelessness conference, being held in Galway today, is to hear there's 1,700 young people in emergency accommodation.
It marks a 12 percent rise in the number of people aged between 18 and 24 experiencing homelessness.
Local and international experts will gather alongside the Simon Community at the event being held at the University of Galway from 9:30AM to 1PM today.
Its Executive Director, Wayne Stanley, is calling for more housing support from Government for this age group:

Galway City has been selected as a pilot location to test an innovative community-based cardiac arrest alert system.
The HeartSafe North-West Europe project is modelled after a successful, community-based first responder initiative in the Netherlands. 
There, the survival rate for cardiac arrest is 45% - compared to a figure of just 25% in Ireland. 
The project aims to create a database of all automated external defibrillators in the city, and everyone trained in cardiac first response. 
Local businesses, clubs and organisations - and anyone trained as a CFR - are being urged to get involved by logging onto HeartBeatNow.ie. 
Speaking to Chris Benn, Paul Huguenin, of the Dutch Heart Foundation says he believes greater outcomes can be achieved in Galway. 

Galway City has been selected as a pilot location to test an innovative community-based cardiac arrest alert system.
The HeartSafe North-West Europe project is modelled after a successful, community-based first responder initiative in the Netherlands. 
There, the survival rate for cardiac arrest is 45% - compared to a figure of just 25% in Ireland. 
The project aims to create a database of all automated external defibrillators in the city, and everyone trained in cardiac first response. 
Local businesses, clubs and organisations - and anyone trained as a CFR - are being urged to get involved by logging onto HeartBeatNow.ie. 
Speaking to Chris Benn, Paul Huguenin, of the Dutch Heart Foundation says he believes greater outcomes can be achieved in Galway.