Galway RNLI lifeboat tows drifting vessel to safety
Galway RNLI Lifeboat launched on Thursday last (July 22 ) to assist the crew of a 20 foot half decker which got into difficulty off Barna. The pleasure/fishing vessel had left Galway Docks earlier in the evening when it experienced mechanical issues and started drifting.
The crew contacted the Irish Coastguard who sought the assistance of Galway Lifeboat shortly before 7pm.
Galway Lifeboat volunteer crew Brian Niland (Helmsman ), Martin Oliver, Lisa McDonagh and James Rattigan located the vessel with three crew on board and safely towed it back to Galway Docks.
RNLI Deputy Launch Authority Seán Óg Leydon says thankfully they had the means to contact the Coastguard directly to get the help they needed before the situation escalated.
Donohue askes Expressway not to leave towns behind
Following the announcement by Bus Eireann of the withdrawal of the Route 20/x20 which services Oranmore, Craughwell, Loughrea, Councillor Geraldine Donohue contacted Bus Eireann and the NTI expressing her deep concerns on how this will impact local towns and villages.
“Their reply in my opinion is most unsatisfactory. The reality is that after 6.10pm there will be no bus that a person can get in Galway City to bring them home to their town or village. As a Public Transport user myself over the years, how is one who may be working till 8pm in the city supposed to get home,” she said.
“Do they expect a person young or old to “Actively Travel” to Oranmore, Craughwell or Loughrea with the latter being 86km roundtrip. I am calling on Bus Eireann, our national bus company of Ireland to reverse their decision.
“Bus Éireann state on their website that it has “inherited a proud tradition of service that dates back almost to the foundation of the State. For more than 90 years, the national bus network has been an integral and essential part of Ireland’s transport infrastructure. Bus Éireann continues to build on its tradition of public service and transport expertise to give the people of Ireland a public road transport system of which they can be justly proud”.
Cllr Donohue says it is ironic that only last September 2020, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said “towns will not be “left behind” following Bus Eireann route cuts. She goes on to say that it is a very sad day for our towns and villages that the famous Irish Red Setter bus will no longer serve the people.
Busy week at Emergency Department at UHG
The Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway has been extremely busy this week with higher than average numbers of people attending.
There is ongoing pressure on bed availability in the hospital and Saolta regret that many patients are currently experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the ED to an acute bed in the hospital.
They have asked people to contact their GP or the Westdoc Out Of Hours Service in the first instance if their health problem is not urgent.
Saolta would also like to remind patients that the Injury Unit in Roscommon University Hospital is open from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to treat a range of injuries in both adults and children over five years of age.
They said they are committed to treating everyone who presents at ED but they will do so strictly in order of medical priority and apologise for the long wait times.
