Canney welcomes flood relief funding for three Galway schemes
Dep Sean Canney has this week welcomed confirmation of funding totalling €120,000 for three flood relief schemes in east Galway under the Minor Works Scheme.
The approved funding includes an allocation of €19,800 for works at Dunmore Golf Club. The golf club experiences significant flooding issues during heavy rainfall events. The money will be used to install flap valves on two pipes in the facility, and the construction of a retaining pond to prevent the accumulation of flood waters on the golf course.
An allocation of €45,000 will go towards conducting a hydrological survey at Clarin River Works, Athenry. This work is necessary because of excessive rainfall in August 2019 which resulted in the river Clarin overtopping, flooding many areas within the town and outlying areas. The hydrological study of Clarin River Basin area will determine whether the proposed solutions are viable from both an environmental and hydrological perspective.
A total of €54,000 has also been approved for works at Moneen, Tuam, where surface water runoff from surrounding higher lands causes flooding of residential property.
"I wish to commend Galway County Council and the OPW Regional Office in Headford for their great work in preparing the applications," Dep Canney said this week. "The works will be carried by Galway County Council in the coming months. I also acknowledge the help and support of Cllr Gabe Cronnelly is assisting in getting the funding for Athenry in place."
PBP calls for action on cost of education
The Government should use part of the enormous surplus it has gained from corporate tax receipts to make education genuinely free for school children and their families, a People Before Profit election candidate said this week.
“This time of year parents in my area are faced with the extremely daunting task of scraping money together for back-to-school cost for their kids," said Adrian Curran, PBP's candidate for Galway City Central. "The cost of uniforms, books, and other essentials for school, on top of an inflation and cost of living crisis, is putting tremendous pressure on parents in this area.
"The free book scheme for primary schools is welcome but the Government should be printing its own books rather than funding private companies which have been charging extortionate prices for decades.
“Secondary school parents still face excessive charges because of the cost of books and the so-called voluntary contribution," he added. "The average cost of sending a child to secondary school is €1,288. This is a financial burden that more and more parents will find impossible to pay. The Government should recognise that families need support during the cost-of-living crisis.
"Education is one of the most important things in a child’s development. The Government need to take part of the surplus from corporate tax receipts, which are in the billions, and spend it on making education genuinely free for families. If we truly value the development of our children the Government would do this.”
