Search Results for 'Donal Lyons'

Discussions are continuing between the HSE West and the Western Alzheimer’s Foundation in relation to the capital plan for the 29-bed respite home for Alzheimer disease sufferers which is to be built at Merlin Park.

Not long after 9am on Saturday as the boxes were opened in Leisureland and the tallymen got to work, patterns began to emerge that would remain unaltered throughout the day. Galway was giving its backing to Labour, but it was not exactly punishing Fianna Fáil.

Once the Christmas and New Year festivities are over and Ireland settles down to the winter of discontent of the recession, local politicians will hit the campaign trail in earnest for June’s Local Elections.

When the results came in on Saturday it was clear that Ireland had raised high the Red flag, donned a blue shirt, kept a few Independents on side, and delivered the mother of all kickings to the Government parties. Well not quite everywhere. Typically Galway didn’t quite follow suit.

The Pope’s children are 30. As 2009 dawns it will be 30 years since the Pope went around the Racecourse in Ballybrit and told the young people of Ireland that he loved them. But the young people at Ballybrit were not the Pope’s children. The young people of Ballybrit in 1979 are anything from 45 to 55 now. They were well able to cheer and clap and sing loudly in 1979. The Pope’s children are a different generation.

Fine Gael appear to occupy a position in Galway city politics that Fianna Fáil and Labour must envy because the Blueshirts look set to emerge from the 2009 Local Elections without losing a seat.

Six out of the 15 Galway city councillors have received top marks for attendance at council meetings for 2008, but others have fared less well in figures released this week.

The granting of planning permission to Galway City VEC to buy land at Ballyburke, Barna from the city council to provide a permanent home for Colaiste na Coiribe represents the clearing of an important hurdle for the city second level school.

The decision to omit halting sites from City Hall’s Traveller accommodation plan is an example of “extreme prejudice” and a “denial of Traveller’s cultural rights” which may also be open to legal challenge.

On paper it looks straightforward. A long serving councillor, former mayor, and well known businessman should easily retain his seat while the running mate is there to mop up any transfers for him should they be needed.