Galway Bay fm - News

Galway County Council has announced that 106 affordable houses will be built in Athenry. The homes will be located at the Fearann na hEascrach development on the Raheen road near the Athenry train station. The scheme will be completed in three phases, the first, which is almost complete, includes 32 3-bed houses and one four-bed unit. 48 more homes are due to be completed in the second phase before June of 2027, with the final 25 due in the second half of that year. Applications for the homes can be submitted through a portal on the county councils website from Thursday the 21st of May at 10am. Fine Gael Councillor and Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, David Collins, says that the development is great news for the area.

A local MEP says it's past time for the EU Parliament to "get serious" about funding for the Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP. Fianna Fail MEP Barry Cowen says a proposed 20 percent cut to the CAP budget this year is unacceptable. He adds it's unfair that agriculture be asked to carry the burden of wider budget pressure. MEP Cowen says he welcomes growing resistance to the reductions within the parliament, and believes alternatives can be found.

Roscommon/Galway TD and Independent Ireland Agriculture Spokesperson Michael Fitzmaurice has called for the immediate recall of the Dáil, warning that the escalating fuel crisis is now having a direct and severe impact on farming, housing, the cost of living and the wider economy. Deputy Fitzmaurice said the situation has worsened significantly in recent days, with green diesel now reaching €1.70 per litre, and petrol and diesel head back towards costs seen before excise cuts placing unsustainable pressure on householders and key sectors. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News, Deputy Fitzmaurice said decisions need to be made.

New figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry show an increase in new car registrations in Galway for the months of January to March 2026. In Galway, 2829 new cars were registered as compared to 2732 for the same period last year, an increase of 3.55%. However, nationally, new car registrations were down 10.4% compared to March 2025 with 15,485 registrations. There was a significant rise in the registration of electric cars with 3,851 registered, an increase of 52.1%. In the new car market share by engine type, Hybrid (Petrol Electric) continues to lead as the most popular engine type at 27.36%, followed by Electric 21.56%, Petrol 21.24%, Plug-In Hybrid 14.41%, and Diesel 12.92%. SIMI Director General Brian Cooke said that following a strong January and February, there was a marked decrease in March.

Silage contractors from Galway joined contractors from Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan last night in Portlaoise to protest over the Government’s failure to reduce the cost of green diesel back to pre-war levels. Many of the 400 or so who attended the packed meeting in the Midlands Park Hotel said the hike on fuel prices was going to play havoc for farmers silage costs in the coming weeks, adding that they were in favour of staging road blockades at Dublin airport and along the M50 next week. However, Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly said a committee has now been formed firstly to negotiate with the Government and Minister for Finance next week on key issues.  MEP Mullooly says scrapping the excise duty on green diesel must be done immediately if contractors are to stay in business.   He says a series of proposals came out of last night’s meeting.

The HSE have provided further clarity on the future of the St Brigids campus in Ballinasloe. Galway/Roscommon Sinn Fein TD Claire Kerrane says the HSE has given indications on how it will use parts of the land in future. Some parcels of the land are being put on the open market, and work is ongoing to clean up and repair buildings on the grounds. Deputy Kerrane says it's now been made clearer what will happen with the land the HSE intends to keep.

Funding has been allocated towards footpath works on the Main Street in Headford. Local Councillor Andrew Reddington says Transport Infrastructure Ireland has allocated €40 thousand towards the works along the N84. Fine Gael Councillor Reddington expects a contractor to be picked soon.

The upcoming cancellation of Bus Éireann's 52 Bus from Ballina-Galway has been described as a major blow to towns and villages along its route, including Milltown, Tuam and Claregalway by Sinn Fein TD for Galway East Louis O'Hara.  It was announced yesterday by Bus Éireann that the route will be cancelled from the 24th of May, alongside two other Expressway services in the Southeast. These are the Waterford to Dublin and Dublin Airport route and Rosslare and Wexford to Waterford.  In a statement, Bus Eireann said that the measures are in response to the continuous significant losses being incurred on these services adding that the decision to withdraw from a small number of routes is aimed at safeguarding the Expressway network. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News this morning, Deputy O'Hara said that this decision is a step backwards in terms of transport connectivity. 

A local TD is calling on the government to reverse its decision to reinstate exam fees. Parents are being asked for €109 per Junior Cert student and €116 per Leaving Cert student. Sinn Féin TD Louis O'Hara says the last thing parents need is another bill at the door, amid rising fuel costs. Deputy O'Hara believes the Government are 'out of touch' with the pressure families are under:

Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers Sean Canney has welcomed the announcement that €80,000 in new transport funding has been secured for the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board to support learners with intellectual disabilities. The funding forms part of the new Transport Fund for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities, introduced as part of the Fund for Students with Disabilities in Further Education and Training. GRETB will also receive €120,000 under the wider Fund for Students with Disabilities, which supports learners through a range of practical supports and services. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News, Minister Canney said that the funding was very important for people with disabilities. 

Galway West Fianna Fail Deputy John Connolly has welcomed the allocation of €84,000 for the progression of an Injury Unit in Galway, saying the project will help deliver faster care for patients while easing pressure on the Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway. The funding has been allocated under the Health Service Executive Capital Plan for 2026 and will support the project as it progresses through the appraisal stage. Injury Units provide treatment for recent non-life-threatening injuries that are unlikely to require hospital admission. By treating these cases locally, they allow patients to receive care more quickly while reducing the number of people attending busy emergency departments. Speaking this morning, Deputy Connolly said that Galway would be the next logical place for an injury unit to be set up, and this allocation is a positive development.

Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has called on the Irish Government to apologise for delays and refund monies to Irish citizens returning from Dubai and other parts of the UAE as a result of the ongoing war in the Middle East. The flight was supposed to depart yesterday but has been delayed to this afternoon because of "highly challenging" conditions in the Middle East, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. There has been criticism of the government's decision to charge €800 for a seat on the chartered flight and MEP Mullooly pointed out that there was a EU mechanism in place which would have covered up to 75% of costs. A mechanism that was not triggered by the Government until 5.30pm yesterday. The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre also had the capacity to charter planes under rescrub and cover 100% of the costs. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News, MEP Mullooly said the government had the chance to charter EU Flights under EU funding since last Monday and didn't do so.

A local TD is calling for the Government to invest more in the LEADER programme. LEADER is an EU-backed programme that supports rural development projects to revitalise local areas and create employment. Raising the matter at an Oireachtas Committee meeting, Galway East Fine Gael TD Pete Roche said those working under the programme bring enormous benefits to their communities. But he suggested they could do even more if more money were made available.

Funding of €2.5m has been announced to support eight environmental and climate projects at University of Galway and ATU Galway. The funding from the EPA aims to address the research needs of policy makers in Government on a wide range of topics. In effect, this is complex and practical research, on which Government will make decisions on new measures to tackle climate change and environmental challenges. Acting Director of Research at University of Galway, Louise Hannon, outlines two of their successful projects.  

Traffic delays are expected in Clifden for the next week Road re-surfacing of Bridge Street will take place from tomorrow until Friday The works will take place from 8am to 6pm daily Local councillor Eileen Mannion outlines the diversion...

A Monaghan Paralympian has achieved a World Record this morning at Rossaveel Harbour. Amputee Shane Mc Loughlin has become the first man to pull the 120 tonne Saoirse na Fharraige ferry over 5 meters to add his name to the record books with Aran Islands Ferries providing the vessel. Shane lost his leg in a farm accident and has competed as a Paralympian in shot putt for the past 6 years. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News immediately after getting the World Record, Shane said that it was touch and go at one stage.

Applications for Galway City Councils 2026 Local Enhancement programme (LEP) are to open from tuesday the 3rd of February until the 27th of February. The programme offers a total of over 140 thousand euros to community groups in the city to use, with a particular focus on those serving disadvantaged communities. This comes alongside 213 thousand euros in funding being allocated for projects within Galway County Councils jurisdiction. Applications are already open for the County Councils LEP, with the deadline for applications set at noon on Monday the 23rd of February. Liam Kitterick, Senior Community Officer at Galway City Council, explains that a large portion of funding will be used for smaller grants.

The Mayor and several officials of Straubing in Germany will be visiting Tuam this April. It's part of a twinning relationship between the two areas, which dates back to 1991. Special events are being planned for the visit, which coincides with the 35th anniversary of the original connection. Independent Councillor Karey McHugh Farag says they'll be hoping to show off the best of Tuam during the visit.

The lack of GPs in North Galway is a serious issue, with residents unable to get doctor care in their local area. This is according to Councillor Andrew Reddington, who told Galway Bay FM news that he had received numerous calls last week from concerned residents. Councillor Reddington referred to a doctor in the Headford area who had recently retired and as a result, his patients were transferred to a new doctor. A transfer process is in place to transfer patients to another practice but the number of transfers involved is taking some time leading to patients having to go elsewhere for GP services. Speaking on Sunday’s lunchtime news, Councillor Reddington said that it was a serious issue that must be sorted out.

Work has begun this morning on the demolition of the old tourist office in Salthill. The long-defunct office, situated beside Galway Atlantaquaria, has had various plans over the past decade to repurpose the site, including a business hub. It was noted in September that planning permission wasn't required to clear the site, and yesterday, fences were erected using specialised heavy equipment, with work commencing this morning. Speaking earlier, City West Labour Councillor Niall McNeils welcomed the move, saying that it should be zoned sooner rather than later.

Tuam Councillor Mary Hoade raised the issue of the lack of GPs in Headford at a recent meeting of the HSE calling on the executive to allocate an extra 2 GPs to the area. Following a number of retirements over the years, there are only 3 GPs in an area that covers Shrule, Kilmaine, Glencorrib, Claran, Cloughanover, Kilcoona, Caherlistrane, Annaghdown and Corrandulla. As a result, many locals are finding it difficult to get a GP now. At the meeting, Councillor Hoade paid tribute to the existing GPs in the area but said that there is a requirement on the HSE to address this situation urgently. She also added that this issue is not unique to the Headford area.

Galway businesses and landmarks are to light up in green tomorrow for the Samaritans' Longest Night Campaign. It's to show solidarity with those who may be struggling and coincides with the shortest day, the Winter Solstice. The campaign highlights that while the nights are long, Samaritans' volunteers are always there to listen. Samaritans' Galway Deputy Director of publicity Kristen Fossum says the simple act of lighting up in green can have a profound impact.

Sinn Fein is set to host a public meeting in Athenry tomorrow evening where the impacts of the controversial Mercosur trade on Irish agriculture and consumers will be discussed. The trade deal is an agreement between the EU and the South American bloc which is aimed at boosting trade by reducing tariffs and opening markets. The meeting will be held in the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry at 8 tomorrow night. Galway East TD Louis O'Hara says now is the time for farmers to raise their voices and to oppose this trade deal.

Ireland is falling behind other EU countries when it comes to accessing central funding for social enterprise developments. That's according to local MEP Maria Walsh, who says Ireland consistently draws less funding per capita than other EU states. Fine Gael MEP Walsh told the EU Parliament it's not due to a lack of demand.

Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has described the outcome of the EU Fisheries Council in Brussels as a body blow to the Irish fishing industry, warning that the decision will devastate coastal communities and place thousands of jobs at risk. Following a marathon Council meeting, Ireland has emerged with 57,000 tonnes less fishing quota for 2026, despite widespread recognition that the Irish fishing sector is already under severe pressure. This pressure has been compounded by ongoing overfishing by non-EU countries and the continued access of other EU fleets to Irish waters. Speaking this morning, MEP Mullooly said that emergency aid has to be sought for communities that will be devastated by this decision.

The announcement of €35 million in EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding for digital infrastructure has been welcomed by Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports Seán Canney. Of that, €31 million will go to projects in the West of Ireland. The funding is €12,281,625 for Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and €18,932,210 for the PISCES subsea cable system. Welcoming the announcement, Minister Canney explained where the funding will go, adding that these were very important projects not only for the west but for the country as a whole.

An event will be held in Athenry tomorrow to mark the 103rd anniversary of the death of Liam Mellows. It’s organised by Sinn Fein, and they’re honouring him as a key revolutionary figure and a prominent Anti-Treaty republican. It will be held at 12:30pm in Athenry Commemorative Garden and Galway East TD Louis O’Hara says everyone is welcome.

The announcement this week of three major changes to the Rural Social Scheme has been warmly welcomed by Galway Rural Development. The RSS is an income support initiative providing part-time employment for farmers and fishers in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed. The changes include the fact that the RSS will be available to any person who is 25 years or older in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, and who has a 'defined' connection to the farming number. The RSS will also now be available to the spouse/civil partner/cohabitant of a Farmer or Fisherperson. Again, the individual must be 25 years or older, engaged in farming, and in receipt of a qualifying payment. In addition to those changes, under a new pilot scheme 250 places for 'Rural Dwellers' will soon be available nationally. The campaign for changes to the rules of the scheme was led by Galway Rural Development. Speaking to Galway Bay FM, CEO Steve Dolan said these changes will make the scheme more flexible and better aligned with the reality of rural life.

Minister James Browne has been called on to end the stalemate on the Clarinbridge and Craughwell Wastewater projects. Concerns are high as the delay is blocking housing delivery and stalling local development Fianna Fáil Cllr Martina Kinane has told Minister Browne the Government needs to urgently resolve the co-funding issue between the department, Uisce Eireann and the County Council.    

Galway Autism Partnership in partnership with Medtronic, will host a special "Quiet Time" event as part of tomorrow's Galway Science & Technology Festival. This event is designed to offer a comfortable, sensory-friendly environment for individuals who may find the full festival atmosphere challenging or overwhelming and will run from 9am to 10.30am at the Human Biology Building, at the University of Galway. This session is open to all, with limited numbers to ensure a quieter, more relaxed experience. Maire Brid Ní Chonghaile of Galway Autism Partnership explains what will happen tomorrow.

Minister of State for Transport Sean Canney has confirmed that funding for the Western Rail Corridor line from Athenry to Claremorris is available and that works on the line will commence within the next 18 months. At a meeting of the Western Inter-County Railway Committee in Galway, Deputy Canney also confirmed that the project will be included in the National Development Plan and gave a commitment that once the Athenry to Claremorris phase starts, the attention will turn to phase three, linking Claremorris to Collooney. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News, Deputy Canney said he looked forward to the project being delivered in the coming years.

Work to install a new pedestrian crossing at the Salmon Weir Bridge will begin tomorrow. The project will entail the construction of a temporary crossing across the R863 University Road at Galway Cathedral and will connect the footway on University Road near Fisheries Field to Droichead an Dóchais. Brian Conneely and Co Ltd have been appointed to construct the crossing and work is due to be completed next February with a pause from December 5th to allow for Christmas Shopping traffic. Work will then recommence in the first week of January. This work was deemed necessary until the BusConnects project proceeds and was approved following a notice of motion from Fine Gael Councillor Frank Fahy. Traffic management plans will be in place, and two-way vehicular traffic will be maintained at peak times. Full information is available via www.GalwayCity.ie

Local MEP Nina Carberry is calling for urgent EU action to strengthen vaping laws. The Fine Gael Midlands North West MEP points out that the EU’s tobacco laws have remained unchanged for more than a decade. She says that as a result, the rules don't reflect the rapid growth of new vaping products. She says Ireland needs to learn from other EU countries, including Belgium, which banned the sale of disposable vapes and restricted advertising from January of this year. As a member of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Children’s Rights, MEP Carberry is concerned about the growing influence of social media platforms in exposing and selling vaping products to children

Galway households recycled over 2,800 tonnes of e-waste last year. That breaks down to 10.3kg of electrical and electronic waste per person, well ahead of the national average of 9.5kg. The figures are revealed in new data from WEEE Ireland. It warns that many consumers do not realise that materials in their old appliances contain critical raw materials needed for new tech and renewable energy. Leo Donovan of WEEE Ireland says that's a very important message they want to get across.

The news of Catherine Connolly's election as President Elect has been welcomed by the Chair of Women for Election. President-elect Conolly will become only the third woman to be elected President, having received the highest number and percentage of votes for the winning candidate in a Presidential election. Women for Election Chairperson, Aldagh McDonogh said it was an inspiring moment as Ireland elects its third woman President. She added that they are delighted to welcome Catherine Connolly as Ireland's next president, following in the footsteps of the groundbreaking election of first Mary Robinson and then Mary McAleese. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News Last night, Chairperson McDonogh said they hope that this election serves as an inspiration for more women to enter politics.