Galway Bay fm - News

Step forward for major wastewater schemes in Mountbellew and Ballygar

There has been a step forward for major wastewater schemes, worth a combined €40 million, in Mountbellew and Ballygar.
The tender process for a contractor is well underway for both projects, with planning in place for Ballygar and planning submitted for Mountbellew,
Uisce Eireann says construction on both projects is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, subject to statutory approvals.
Galway East TD and Junior Minister Sean Canney says the projects are crucial for both areas.

Dáil hears Tuam-Athenry area being "bombarded" with wind farm developments

The Dáil has heard that the Tuam-Athenry area is being "bombarded" with planned wind farms.
Raising the issue, Fine Gael Deputy Pete Roche said he wanted to "shine a light" on the issue and find out the reasoning behind it.
He was told the matter would be raised with Environment Minister Darragh O' Brien.
Deputy Roche argued it's the worst impacted area in the country.

Sweet Mother Of Jesus

Ollie Turner

Galway Deputy welcomes announcement that a new veterinary school is to be established at ATU

Ministers James Lawless TD and Martin Heydon TD have announced that Atlantic Technological University has secured Government approval to establish a new School of Veterinary Medicine, with the first students due to begin in 2026.
The initiative, part of the Government's Veterinary Places Activation Programme (VPAP), will deliver 80 new veterinary student places nationally each year - 40 of which will be at ATU, with the remainder at SETU.
This announcement has been welcomed by Fianna Fail Deputy for Galway East, Albert Dolan who told Galway Bay FM News this morning that the move will be a game changer for Galway and the West of Ireland.

Galway East TD calls for NCSE Guidelines for the Review of SNA Allocations to be scrapped.

Sinn Féin TD for Galway East, Louis O'Hara, has called for the NCSE Guidelines for the Review of SNA Allocations 2025/26 to be scrapped.
The proposal would reduce the application window for additional SNA support to just six weeks, a definition Deputy O'Hara says is much narrower, and would unify mainstream and special class allocations.
Deputy O'Hara added that Ministers McEntee and Moynihan must abandon the regressive changes included in these new guidelines, saying they will have negative effects on children with additional needs and whole school communities.

Galway City Hosts World Oyster Opening Championships This afternoon

Representatives from 15 countries are in Galway this afternoon for the 2025 World Oyster Opening Championships.
This year’s event will take place on Lower Cross Street at 3 pm on a stage hosted by the Latin Quarter to determine who wins the title, with Ireland represented by Michael Moran, who won the national title last night at the Kings Head.
The championships are part of the 71st Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival, which runs throughout the weekend at venues throughout the city and will begin with the Parade of Flags for each of the competing countries from Eyre Square at 2.15 with the St Patrick's Brass Band and Drumadore, led by Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard and town crier Liam Silke.
The championships will be streamed on the Galway Oyster Festival YouTube Channel.
The top three finalists in the Irish and World Oyster Opening Championships will receive a bottle of An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin, with the winner set to receive a specially commissioned Connemara Blue glass trophy, handmade in Clifden.
Councillor Neil McNelis told John Mulligan that it is an exciting event for Galway City.

Extra funding provided to ensure that the Galway Warm Home Hub continues until December

The Department of the Environment have confirmed that funding to the tune of €30,000, along with further funding of €30,000 provided by Galway City Council, will enable the continuation of the Galway Warm Home Hub until this December.
Under the EU NetZeroCities Pilot Programme, Galway City Council secured €1m in funding over a two-year period to carry out a project focusing on energy efficiency in buildings in the Westside area of their DZ through a 'Warm Home Hub'.
The Warm Home Hob operates out of the Westside Resource Centre and supports homeowners in Galway to transform their houses into sustainable, energy-efficient, healthier homes.
The announcement has been welcomed by Galway West Fianna Fail TD John Connolly who told Galway Bay FM News that it is important now to look at the operation as a whole and put it on a more permanent footing.

Call for Health Minister meeting on Portiuncula maternity services

The Health Minister is being urged to host a cross-party meeting on maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.
Deputy Claire Kerrane says there's a huge amount of uncertainty and fear, after high-risk pregnancies were recently transferred away from the facility.
The decision came amid a number of ongoing reviews into the deaths of several babies there, as well as serious harm to others.
Sinn Fein Deputy Kerrane says Minister Jennifer Carroll McNeill needs to host a meeting involving all local TDs, regardless of party or afilliation.

Local TD says Government must get "ambitious" about equine therapy in West

The Government must get more ambitious when it comes to equine therapy in the West of Ireland. 
That's according to Galway East TD Albert Dolan, during a Dáil discussion on the new National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. 
The Fianna Fail TD argued the people and the facilities are there - but support is needed.