A judge has directed a jury to find two city youths not guilty of a knife attack on another youth two years ago, following a three-day trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court.

Marcus MacComascaigh (20), with addresses in Fana Glas, Ballybane, and Cur na Lus, Circular Road, and a now 18-year-old youth – who cannot be named because he was 16 at the time of the alleged offence – had both denied a charge of assaulting Dominic Downes, then aged 18, causing him harm, at Church Alley, Ballymoneen Road, Knocknacarra, in the early hours of Saturday morning September 27, 2014, when they appeared for trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court.

A jury was sworn in to hear evidence in the trial which was expected to take two to three days.

Outlining the State’s case, prosecuting barrister, Conor Fahy told the jury Mr Downes had sustained a number of stab wounds to his back and shoulder and had been hit with a bicycle lock.

He said Mr Downes had been in a number of pubs in the city on the Friday night celebrating a friend’s 18th birthday.

He went home in the early hours of the morning and his brother and a female friend were in the house. They continued drinking and the girl decided to make a prank call to the juvenile.

The juvenile figured out the phone call came from Mr Downes’ phone and he rang him, arranging to meet him in the alleyway beside Knocknacarra Church.

Before he left to meet the juvenile, Mr Downes took a butterfly knife with him for his own protection.

When he arrived at the alley, he was confronted by the two accused.

The juvenile pulled out a knife and swung it at Mr Downes, cutting him over his right eye.

Mr Downes pulled out the butterfly knife but dropped it.

The juvenile then swung his knife again, cutting Mr Downes’ arm.

Mr Downes kicked the juvenile, knocking him to the ground.  He then walked away, but the juvenile came after him.

Mr Fahy said MacComascaigh then joined in the assault and held Downes in a headlock, while the juvenile stabbed him a number of times in the back.

The juvenile then took out a bicycle lock and hit Downes.

He eventually managed to free himself and make his way home. He was later treated in hospital for his injuries.

Mr Downes had refused to come to court to give evidence in the trial and in the absence of the jury, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Detective Fergal Kilbane executed the warrant and brought Mr Downes to court in custody the next day. Jurors were unaware he was in Garda custody at all times during the trial.

Mr Downes was called as a witness for the prosecution on and was questioned by Mr Fahy. He told the jury he didn’t remember what happened that night.

In reply to Mr Fahy, he said he remembered he had been drinking in town but said he could not remember anything after that.

Following further questioning, Mr Downes said he remembered drinking later when he got home, but could not remember anything after that.

Legal submissions were made to the court in the absence of the jury by two barristers who represented both accused under the Free Legal Aid scheme, regarding Mr Downes’ unwillingness to give evidence.

Following their submissions, Judge Rory McCabe ruled Mr Downes’ statement, which he had made to Gardai, was inadmissible in the trial as he could not be cross-examined by both defence teams if it was allowed into evidence.

Mr Fahy informed the court that the State was not offering any further evidence in the case and the trial could not proceed.

Judge McCabe then directed the jury foreman to enter a verdict of “not guilty by direction of the trial judge” in relation to both accused.

Judge McCabe said to MacComascaigh and to the juvenile, who is serving sentences for other offences: “You’re both discharged for the present, but I’m sure we will be seeing you again.”

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People living in private rented accommodation in Galway City are forking out more than €700 extra per year compared to twelve months ago, as rents continue to be driven upwards by lack of supply.

And Newcastle continues to be the most expensive place in the city in which to rent, at an average of €1,029 per month.

According to the latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), the average rent in the city in the first quarter of this year was €941 – that’s up 6.8% on the average of €881 per month one year earlier.

The PRTB Rent Index is the most accurate rent report of its kind on the private accommodation sector in Ireland because it reflects the actual rents being paid, according to the RTB’s records, as distinct from the asking or advertised rent, which is the basis of other rent reports such as Daft.ie.

An analysis of the figures by the Galway City Tribune shows that outside of the city, the most expensive area to rent was in Headford, at an average of almost €979 per month. The figures show that Newcastle is the most expensive location in the city at €1,029 per month – up from €993 last year.

This is due to the proliferation of students in the area because of its proximity to NUI Galway, as well as workers at University Hospital Galway.

The next most expensive city locations in which to rent are Woodquay at €1,003 (up from €932) and Mervue at €997 (a comparative figure for last year is unavailable).

The cheapest locations in which to rent were Ballybane at €759 (up from €716); Oranmore at €801 (up from €748) and Doughiska at €808 (up from €745).

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Bleak statistics published this week show an average of one in every seven commercial premises in Galway were lying empty last month.

And the rate was even higher for the likes of Tuam and Loughrea where around one in five units were empty.

Galway as a whole has the third highest level of empty commercial units in the entire country, at 15.3%, on a par with Limerick.

And the top two worst performing counties are also in Connacht – Sligo (16.8%) and Leitrim (16.3%), while the national average was 13.1%.

According to the report from GeoDirectory and DKM Economic Consultants, the total number of commercial addresses in Galway was 13,598 in June – of these, 9,702 were in the county; 3,105 in the city; 297 in Loughrea and 494 in Tuam.

The report uses an address point as a unit, as opposed to a building, which can comprise one or more units.  The vacancy rates are: County Galway (15.3%); Galway City (15.9%); Loughrea (19.7%) and Tuam (20.2%).

A breakdown of the sectors for which the address points are used shows 48.1% are general services; 22.4% distribution; 10.9% health and social; 4.1% construction; 5.1% construction; 5.3% education and 2.4% financial.

Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory said: “We’re seeing commercial vacancy rates beginning to creep up again with the average national rate reaching 13.1%. The gap between the east and west of the country has continued to grow in the last 12 months.

“The vacancy rate in Leinster, excluding Dublin has come down 0.4% to 12% while the rate in Connacht has gone up 0.3% to 15.2%.

“The five counties in Connacht all featured in the top seven highest vacancy rates in Ireland,” said Mr Keogh.

The GeoDirectory figures are recorded by 5,600 An Post delivery staff working with experts from Ordnance Survey Ireland. The database is used by many different companies and organisations across a diverse range of applications.  The emergency services use it for route optimisation when responding to 999 calls, which can save valuable minutes in an emergency, while it is also used by the likes of the Central Statistics Office, the Property Registration Authority, Bord Gais, 11890 directory enquiries, banks, property websites and pizza delivery companies.

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Golf makes a return to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil next month after a 112-year absence, and while some of the world’s top players have withdrawn due to health concerns, it won’t stop a Galway man from attending after he was selected as one of three representatives of Europe’s governing body to work at the competition.

Damien Coleman, the course superintendent at the Galway Bay Golf Resort in Rinville, Oranmore, is one of three greenkeepers who have been selected by Europe’s governing body, the Royal & Ancient (R&A) to work at the games this year.

The other two R&A selections are from Spain and England, while he will also be joined by Cork native Eamonn McCarthy, who lives and works in Bali, and was selected to travel by the Asian governing body.

The Clare native, who has been working at the golf course outside Oranmore since 2008, will be one of 46 volunteers from all over the world to work at the golf in this year’s Olympics, and he admits that while he can understand people being concerned about contracting the Zika virus, it hasn’t put him off a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I did an interview with Golf Digest, and obviously the Zika issue came up. I explained it very simply – you don’t cross the road without taking precautions, you look left and right and continue to pay attention as you cross the road.

“This is the same thing: you can’t get a vaccination for Zika, but there are sprays involved and you are advised to wear long sleeves and full-length trousers, so those are the precautions you take,” he said.

He obviously discussed the trip, and possible dangers, with his wife Mary, but says she has given him his full backing to make the trip to Brazil.

“She understands what it could mean for my career, and what it means to me. This is a wonderful opportunity, it is more than 100 years since golf was last in the Olympics, and while it is also to be included in Tokyo in 2020, it might be dropped again after that.”

Contracting the Zika virus is more serious for women than for men, yet it is the men who have been withdrawing from the tournament in their droves: Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Shane Lowry, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzl, Louis Oosthuizen, Dustin Johnson, and Jordan Spieth have all claimed concerns over the virus means they will not too it up in Rio.,

At least Zimbabwe’s Brendon De Jonge has given what many feel is a more honest reason for not competing – he says it is “truly a business decision” as he needs to compete in tournaments in America to retain his tour card for next year.

Damien went to college in Preston, which is about 27 miles north of Manchester and Liverpool, where he studied Turf Grass Science. He sat his final exam on a Friday, flew back to Ireland, and began work at Galway Bay Golf Resort the following Monday.

“I have been here all of my career, and it is a great place to work. I have to say the members have been hugely supportive of me since the news broke that I was travelling to the Olympics, and I have promised them that I will write a daily blog about the experience.

“A special mention has to go to club director, Ronan Killeen. When the application process opened in January, I first had to check with Ronan about applying as it would mean taking three weeks off in August, one of the busiest times for golf courses in Ireland.

“He was hugely supportive, he didn’t hesitate to say to go for it. Ronan has poured his soul into building up the club, so for him to allow his course superintendent to miss three weeks at the height of the season says a lot about the man,” Damien explains.

When Damien was in college, he received a scholarship from the R&A, and as a result he was automatically included on their mailing list, with about 215 other greenkeepers.

He regularly gets invites to apply to work at various events, but as most of them are during the summer months, he never applied before. The Olympics was different.

“You can apply to work at tournaments like the Ryder Cup, and The Open this weekend, but we are just too busy at the course. I couldn’t pass up the chance for the Olympics, though, and when Ronan gave me his blessing, I sent in my application and got word back that I was successful,” says Damien, who is the vice-president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ireland, and heads a staff of seven at Galway Bay Golf Resort.

Damien lives in Ennis, and makes the daily 40-minute commute to be at the course at 5.45am every day, finishing up at 2.30pm, but he won’t be escaping an early start at the Olympics.

“We meet for breakfast at 4.30am, and start work at 6am, straight through until 6pm – for 18 consecutive days! We arrive on Thursday, August 4, and are straight into work the following day to prepare for the following Monday, which will be the first practice day for the men

“The competition is being played as a 72-hole tournament, rather than a match-play, with the men playing from Thursday August 11 to Sunday August 14.

“The next day, the ladies have their first practice day, and their competition is from Wednesday August 17 to Saturday August 20, and we fly back home two days later on the Monday,” he explains.

His travel and living costs will be covered, but he won’t be paid for the experience, while he will also be using up three weeks holidays to make the trip, but for someone who loves playing the game as much as working to give others the same enjoyment, it was an opportunity not to be missed.

He plays off a handicap of seven, having recently been cut a shot after his performance in Jacinta Quinn’s Lady Captain’s day at the club, and he is looking forward to seeing some of the world’s top golfers like Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler up close, while he also plans to try and attend some of the boxing.

“We are staying at Barra, around ten miles from the golf course, but the boxing arena is right beside it – so hopefully I’ll get to watch the likes of Katie Taylor and Paddy Barnes,” he says.

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A planning application is being submitted to Galway County Council for the construction of an advance factory on IDA-owned lands on the outskirts of Tuam.

East Galway’s two ministers are combining their resources to ensure that a major advance factory is provided so that it can whet the appetites of potential investors in the town.

Deputy Sean Canney who is Minister for the Office of Public Works and Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor (originally from Milltown) who has responsibility for Jobs and Innovation are to meet over the coming week to discuss the employment situation in Tuam.

They have confirmed that plans will be submitted for an advance factory on the IDA-owned lands on the Dunmore Road out of Tuam. These lands have been vacant for several years.

It has been stated that no new manufacturing industry will come to Tuam unless there is factory space available to them. It is an issue that has been raised on a continuous basis by the Cathaoirleach of the Tuam Municipal Council, Cllr Tom McHugh.

There has been a demand that the IDA apply for planning permission for two advance factories for their 27 acre business park in Tuam which has been idle for almost two decades.

Anger has been expressed that since an IDA representative attended a meeting of Tuam Municipal Council last year, there had been no progress on this front.

Cllr Tom McHugh of Fine Gael is livid over the fact that there has been no response from the IDA since that meeting with regard to their plans for this extensive site on the outskirts of Tuam.

There were calls on the IDA at the time to seek planning permission for two advance factories on the site at Dunmore Road in Tuam but they have failed to lodge any application in this regard.

Cllr McHugh asked a recent of Tuam Municipal Council if there had been any response from the IDA since a representative from the body attended a previous meeting in 2015.

Director of Services Liam Gavin said that there had been no response but said that if the councillor wished, the IDA could be asked back to another meeting of Tuam Municipal Council.

Cllr McHugh asked if there was any point as he said that it was obvious that the IDA had very little interest in Tuam. He said that it wasn’t asking for much for them to just apply for planning permission – if was not that they were being asked to construct the advance factories.

At the meeting last year several councillors urged the IDA not to forget the smaller towns and villages when it came to job creation. However, they were told that this was a huge challenge as investors were targeting the bigger centres of population.

The meeting was attended a Business Development Manager with the IDA, who said that they represented four major employers in Tuam who had created 440 new full time jobs in the town over the past five years.

She specifically referred to Valeo Visions Systems which currently provides more than 1,000 full time and part time jobs at its car components plant on the Dunmore Road.

Cllr McHugh said that this company was currently operating out of at least four different premises and could be accommodated in one unit within the extensive IDA Business Park.

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The Higher Education Authority (HEA) will continue to work with Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) to try to reduce its annual budget deficit, the Education Minister has said.

Speaking in Dáil Éireann, Richard Bruton hinted that a review later this year of how higher education is funded might be beneficial to GMIT, but he did not commit any additional resources to help bridge the college’s deficit.

Minister Bruton, in response to Fianna Fáil Mayo TD, Lisa Chambers, acknowledged that GMIT is “vulnerable” financially but it is working through its difficulties.

He said GMIT’s plan to return its finances to the black involves job cuts, new courses and improvements in retention rates.

Deputy Chambers had asked if the Department of Education was willing to allocate more funding to GMIT given that the latest figures showed it carried a deficit of €2.46 million in 2014-2015.

Minister Bruton said the HEA allocates funding to institutes, who then allocate it internally.

“GMIT is entitled to core funding in the same manner as any institute of technology,” he said.

“Core funding is driven primarily by student numbers, either via a free fees contribution or the Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) which is the mechanism used by the HEA to allocation funding. The HEA has no scope to allocate additional funding to any higher education institute beyond that level derived from the free fees and RGAM allocations.

“A review of the approach to funding higher education institutions is to be undertaken by the HEA later in 2016 and this will consider whether additional considerations need to be taken into account within the funding model, such as regional role or contribution or the operation of multiple campuses.”

Acknowledging a deficit of €2.46 million for 2014/2015, Minister Bruton said: “the current reserves held by GMIT total €5.6m but this has been significantly depleted by the deficit.”

Minister Bruton added: “The HEA are closely monitoring the financial position of all of the Institutes of Technology (IoTs) and in particular are working closely with those operating in deficit, including GMIT, to ensure appropriate mechanisms are put in place to eliminate the deficit as quickly as possible.

“In particular, the HEA has a policy framework in place for engaging with vulnerable IoTs like GMIT, which requires institutes to submit a three-year plan to return them to a balanced budget situation.

“GMIT has presented the HEA with their three-year plan which shows a gradual decreasing of the deficit in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 with a return to surplus projected in 2017/2018. The plan makes it clear that this will be dependent on a successful retention strategy, reductions in staffing and new programme development to increase student demand. The HEA will continue to monitor the position and work with GMIT to address the deficit issue.”

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There aren’t enough female voices out there to be heard in film and TV, according to Galway actress Linda Bhreathnach, whose filmmaking debut took place during last week’s Film Fleadh.

Originally from Ros Muc in Connemara, Linda wanted to create a new style of film from a female perspective and, in particular, the perspective of a woman from the West of Ireland, and that’s exactly what she did with her new short film Adulting.

“I wanted to make something that speaks for my generation and reflects what real life is actually like for the average Irish person –  how we talk, what we get up to – but not in a way that’s twee or clichéd,” she said.

“I wanted to make something that shows how challenging it can be to know what to do in a world where there are so many options – where to live, the pressure there is to emigrate. And there’s so much pressure nowadays with social media to live this perfect, fulfilled life. This film is an attempt to say it’s okay not to be perfect.”

Linda has been acting since she finished school at the age of 17, playing various roles including Róise de Búrca in Ros na Rún, and Sarah O’Regan in Corp Agus Anam. But with Adulting, Linda was able to get her own female perspective of life across as Jane, a young Galway girl trying to figure her life out after having her heart broken.

“Storytelling is the way we make sense of our world. It helps mould the social collective mentality so it’s important that women have their voices in the mix,” she said.

“Film and TV can help people make sense of their own lives and maybe feel less alone. They can see something on screen and say ‘Oh, I see myself in that character and therefore I feel better about my situation’.

“For me, it would just be refreshing and interesting and satisfying to be able to watch more things that were written by women, because only a woman can really tell a woman’s story just right… how could it be any other way?”

This was the first time Linda had ever written a film, or produced or directed or cast, but it all felt “very natural” as she’s been in the storytelling world for a long time and felt ready: “Plus I had an amazing girl team around me – so creative and eager and talented.”

The film stars Linda herself, Carrie Crowley of Vikings and Fair City, Paraic Breathnach (Jack Taylor, Breakfast on Pluto), Emma Eliza Regan (Jack Taylor, Darkness on the Edge of Town), Sean T. Ó Meallaigh (Vikings, Klondike), and James Riordan (Lipsinkers) among others.

Shot by Justin Davey of Seb Productions in Galway City and Connemara, the film mixes the old traditions such as working on the bog with the Facebook and Tinder habits of today’s youth.

“I kept feeling like I wish there was something I could watch that was just about regular life, and I’ve been wanting more and more to watch and read things that I can relate to as a woman.  I guess I realised I can’t be waiting around for someone else to write the show or film. I had no excuse not to write it myself,” said Linda.

“I thought it would be fun to see something based in Ireland that wasn’t high drama, but that was just very natural and realistic and so that’s what we set about doing.”

The familiar Galway locations will appeal to Galwegians city and countywide and Linda wanted to get across the steady, calm, civilised life of people in Galway.

“People are polite and considerate and there is space and peace and it’s just so beautiful everywhere you look, not to mention drenched in tradition – beautiful, rich tradition. It’s a very privileged part of the planet in many ways. We just don’t often see it like that.”

Linda was lucky to have spent some time in Los Angeles, where she gained confidence in her abilities as an actor and courage to do what she loves without the fear of making mistakes.

It was in LA that she met budding filmmaker Justin Davey who she says has a similar work ethic to her own, as well as similar tastes, passions and motivation, which helped them to work well as a team.

“The film isn’t trying to be cool or witty. It’s just very down to earth and natural and is a little window into a snippet of an average Irish girl’s live.

“One minute she’s drinking fine wine and eating French cheese, and the next she’s out working in the bog, maybe listening to Kanye West in her earphones. It shows the modern and the old life alongside each other and how you can’t judge books by their covers,” she said.

“I feel like [the Galway Film Fleadh screening] is the perfect fruition of the project. Getting into the Fleadh is such an honour and I’ll always be proud of that. It’s such a well-respected and prestigious festival. It feels like such an amazingly powerful seal of approval to be included.”

For more information on this quirky new film, see the Facebook page.

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The cost of summer camps for young children is proving prohibitive for many families no longer able to afford the privilege.

That’s according to new Galway East TD and mother of three Anne Rabbitte, who has suggested that some clubs scale back on prices – particularly for families with two and three kids.

Deputy Rabbitte added that the cost was exacerbated by the fact that the vast majority of summer camps end at 2pm or 2.30pm and the services of child minders then had to kick in.

“That means summer camps could set parents back as much as €300 per week”, she added.

The mother of a 14, 13 and eleven year old said that some hurling and football clubs run excellent summer camps – but other organisations often charged rates that were not acceptable.

“Some kids would love to do a summer camp every week of the holidays but it is simply not affordable”, she said.

But Mick Hehir, who is involved in Tuam Hurling Club – and as the former Chairman of Coiste Iomana na nOg has organised several summer camps – said that the Cúl Camps, for example, represented great value for money.

The Tuam Garda said that it cost less than €3 an hour and each participant benefited from trained coaches, all appointed by the Galway Coaching and Games Committee. And the €55 cost for the week also includes a sports kit.

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A man was rescued from the waters of the River Corrib in the city last night.
Members of Galway Fire Brigade were quickly on the scene after the alarm was raised shortly after 9 o’clock last night.
The incident happened close to Wolfe Tone Bridge and Gardai and the emergency services were also informed. His condition is not known at this time.

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Minister Damien English is to seek answers from Irish Water over allegations that the utility company’s works are causing delays to other road works in the Carraroe area.
He was questioned about this by Sinn Fein’s Senator Trevor O Clochartaigh who also alleged that there is a lack of information being provided regarding their upgrading of the Carraroe Water Treatment plant.
Minister Damien English said it was disgraceful if Galway Co Council was waiting for a year to get an answer from Irish Water regarding plans for the Carraroe Water Plant.
The minister also promised in investigate any delay being caused to other road works in the area.
Even though water meters were installed, without protest, across many rural parts of North Galway over four years ago there is still resistance now to them being installed in Connemara according to the Sinn Fein Senator.

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A newly published book charts the course of history and population decline on an Island off the west coast of Connemara.
Omey Island, off the shores of Claddaghduff contains many archaeological and historic remnants but only one person now lives permanently where once there were hundreds of residents.
As an island it is unusual. When the tide is in full flow, Omey is cut off from the mainland; when the tide is out it is possible to walk and drive across the beach. But in terms of community the tide has well and truly gone out on Omey Island.
Only one man now lives there all year around.
Bernadette Conroy is a former local teacher and her new book entitled “Strands of Omey’s Story” charts events over the centuries.
The local population dwindled from 400 before the Famine to 115 in in the year 1901. The island school closed 40 years ago.

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A 31-year-old man missing from his home in Kildare since early this morning (Sunday) may be in Galway.

Gardaí have appealed for the public’s assistance in tracing the whereabouts of Daniel O’Shea, who was last  seen at his home in Naas at around 5am. He is described as being 6’2” in height, of slim build and clean shaven with blue eyes and long brown hair.
Daniels’s family and Gardaí are concerned for his welfare and anyone with information is asked to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884300, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111 or any Garda Station.

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City councillors have voted against a change of zoning at the former Anglo Irish Bank site, which could have paved the way for a 200-bed hostel.

Ahead of a meeting to discuss the draft City Development Plan, Council Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath, had recommended no change to the land use of the premises.

“The building has a legacy of low impact 9-to-5 office use, and it represents a transitional site between the city centre and adjoining residential areas,” his report stated.

The submission from Connacht Hospitality Ltd. had sought the rezoning of the former bank premises on Forster Street from R (Residential) to CC (City Centre). Additionally, it wanted an expanded reference to tourist-related uses in CC land use zoning objectives to hotel and hostel accommodation.

Senior planner, Caroline Phelan, told members that an application for the hostel had been met with “significant objections” from residents in the area.

Senior executive planner, Helen Coleman, added that this was turned down by Galway City Council, and a subsequent appeal was upheld by An Bord Pleanála.

“They have looked for hotels to be allowed in all zones,” she said of the lengthy submission received from Connacht Hospitality Ltd.

Mr McGrath had also recommended an amendment to the draft plan so that ‘hostels’ would be added alongside hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs, in the list of uses which may contribute to the zoning objective, dependent on the R and LDR (low density residential) location and scale of development.

Cllr Padraig Conneely questioned why this would not be a good site, considering that Snoozles Hostel was across the road.

However, it was the wider opinion of members that this was not a suitable site for a hostel, and there was a unanimous decision to accept Mr McGrath’s recommendations.

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A convicted sex offender faces prison later this year for coercing a trusting and charitable 82-year-old woman into giving him large sums of cash over a twelve-month period.

Ethan Ward (25), 27 Lui na Greine, Western Distributor Road, Salthill, is currently serving one year or a two-year prison sentence, imposed on him on May 12, for having sex with a vulnerable 16-year-old schoolgirl in a fast-food restaurant toilet.

Ward pleaded guilty at Galway Circuit Criminal Court two weeks later to inducing the elderly woman to give him €1,630 cash on dates between April and December 2015.

He pleaded guilty also to stealing a €1,000 cheque from the woman and lodging it in his own account on a date between January 2015 and January of this year and to inducing the woman to give him a further €250 on January 8 last.

He further pleaded guilty to inducing the woman to give him €90 cash on January 6 last.

The theft and fraud offences were committed while Ward was out on bail, awaiting sentence for the sexual assault on the schoolgirl.

Prosecuting barrister, Conor Fahy said the pleas to the above charges were acceptable on the basis that Ward was admitting his guilt to three other similar charges of deception.

Sentence was adjourned to this week for the preparation of a probation report on Ward and a impact statement from the victim.

The court heard Ward had not bothered to attend his probation appointments in the prison, so he could not be assessed.

Garda Karen Higgins told the sentence hearing on Wednesday it would never be known exactly how much money Ward took, but the woman had estimated it was at least €3,000.

She said the woman made a complaint to Gardai on January 19 last that she had been giving money to a man for a year and she had just realised he had been lying to her about his circumstances.

The woman first encountered Ward begging outside various churches around the city a year ago and he told her his name was Ethan O’Leary and he needed money to stay in hostels.  She took pity on him and gave him money on a few occasions.

He then turned up at her home in Salthill and she was concerned about that because she had not told him where she lived.

Garda Higgins said the victim was a very kind person and she felt sorry for Ward.  She regularly gave him money when he called to her home and if she did not have any cash in the house, Ward would accompany her to the ATM machine, walking a few metres behind her.

“She used to give him cups of tea and things to eat when he’d call to her home.

“As it went on, she felt pressured into giving him money and he started calling more regularly to her home,” Garda Higgins said.

The woman wrote a cheque to “Ethan O’Leary” on one occasion and her suspicions were aroused when it was never cashed.

She went with food to a hostel where Ward told her he was staying, but staff said no one named O’Leary was staying there.

The woman finally confided in her local priest and the Gardai were contacted.

Garda Higgins said that on a previous occasion, Ward stole a blank cheque from the woman while in her house and later cashed it, to the value of €1,000.

Ward was arrested outside the woman’s home last January.  She had refused to let him in but he came in and she told him to get out.

A roll of duct tape and three wire coat hangers were found when Gardai searched Ward’s rucksack.

“He never showed any remorse and he denied defrauding this 82-year-old woman. She’s too scared to come to court,” Garda Higgins added.

The woman’s victim impact statement said she goes to Mass every day and contributes generously to various charities.  She said she always saw the good in people.

“She knows she gave him a lot of money and she feels very gullible.

“He always had a story she believed.  She didn’t know at the time that he was a con artist and a criminal.  She thinks she may have given him €3,000.

“She now finds it hard to trust people and is more cautious answering the door,” Garda Higgins said of the woman.

The court heard Ward was using the money to feed his €100-a-day heroin addiction. Before that he was living off his wife and two children’s welfare allowances.

Garda Higgins said he had 19 previous convictions, the latest being for defilement of a child for which he was currently serving one-year of a two-year sentence imposed in May.

He had other convictions for thefts, burglary, possession of drugs, knives and public order offences.

Defence barrister, Conal McCarthy said his client had been in custody since his arrest on January 20. He said Ward feared for his life in Castlerea Prison and was on 23- hour lockdown for his own safety.

He said that was the reason his client could not attend probation appointments in the prison. He had asked to be moved to the Midlands Prison and his transfer was granted last month.

Judge Rory McCabe said the maximum sentence for the crime of deception was five years, while the maximum for theft was ten.

He said the deception charges before the court merited a three-year sentence while the theft of the cheque merited five years.

“This man engaged in a nasty campaign of milking money from this lady and she eventually became afraid not to give him money,” the judge said.

Judge McCabe noted Ward had previous convictions for crimes of dishonesty while his victim was vulnerable, decent and defenceless.

He said the court had been given a excuse why Ward had not bothered to attend the probation officer in Castlerea Prison for assessment, but it would now give him a chance to do so while in the Midlands Prison.

The judge then adjourned the matter to October 6 for the probation assessment to take place and he directed a probation report be furnished to the court in October.

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Councillors have voted to accept recommendations which could see a 20% cap on residential development lifted at the former Crown Control site in Mervue.

Described by one councillor as “the biggest hole across the city”, the future of the five hectare piece of land turned out to be divisive during lengthy meetings to discuss the Draft City Development Plan 2017-2023.

In their submission, joint receivers Kieran Wallace and Patrick Horkan, had sought amendments to the specific development objectives included in the previous plan.

They stated that the 20% cap (140 units) on residential development had limited the viability of the site, and they sought for this to be lifted.

They further called for a removal of restrictions on site access, which they said compromised connectivity. And, they wanted the reference to a four-storey building height restriction removed, on the grounds that there was capacity to accommodate higher buildings in less sensitive locations within the site.

City Council Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath, had recommended an amendment to the draft plan as follows: “The majority of retail floor space to be dedicated for bulky goods retailing and the balance for local retailing needs . . . parking shall be kept back from Monivea Road, and separated from the Monivea Road by buildings. The design of frontage facing Monivea Road shall be of a high architectural standard.”

He further recommended removal of the current restrictions on residential development (20% cap), access to the site from the Monivea Road, and building heights.

Mervue-based councillor, Declan McDonnell, told fellow members that this was “a very sensitive situation for a lot of us”, but he agreed that the site was not viable without some changes.

“I met the receiver and asked him had NAMA ever advertised the site with the existing restrictions – he said no,” the councillor said.

“They said the site won’t work unless the restrictions are lifted and there is an exit onto the Monivea Road.”

He expressed concern at Mr McGrath’s recommendations that the cap on residential development be lifted altogether.

“I worry that if you don’t put restrictions on residential, you are going to have difficulties,” he said. “I’d like to limit it to 40% (280 units). A full-lifting is too much.”

Fellow City East councillor, Terry O’Flaherty, said that she, too, had had a lot of consultation with residents in the area and, in keeping with their wishes, she sought to keep the plan as it was, except to remove the building cap of 20%.

Senior Planner Caroline Phelan reminded members that the restrictions they were now complaining about had been placed on the site either by themselves or their predecessors on the previous Council.

She agreed with Cllr McDonnell that allowing a greater number of homes would make the site “more acceptable and attractive to get it developed.”

However, she cautioned against leaving the Monivea Road side without an entrance/exit to the site.

“It is a huge site, and you are not going to avoid traffic on the Monivea Road,” she said.

“If you don’t allow access, you’re inviting rear elevation onto that road.”

Brendan McGrath agreed, and said that the changes proposed “probably constituted bad planning.”

“The Crown site is one of the biggest holes in the ground in Galway City, and you could look at it and do nothing. It is a site that adjoins GMIT campus, is proximate to the broader city centre, it will be on the bus corridor, and rather than tying yourselves up in knots, see what will work best for the community.”

He said it would be much better for the community to have a well-designed residential development at this location, rather than a large retail one that closes down in the evenings.

“This is a huge site, in the Galway context, and we do want to limit the intrusion to residents, but as councillors you have to look to the future,” he said.

Cllr Michael Crowe agreed that there were wider matters to be considered when deciding the future of this site. “We have to act in the best interests of the whole city,” he said. “The amendments are in the best interests of this process.”

He proposed that Mr McGrath’s recommendations be adopted, which was seconded by Cllr Niall McNelis. This passed on a narrow margin – nine in favour, eight against, and one abstention (Declan McDonnell).

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Residents of a Knocknacarra estate have threatened High Court action against Galway City Council over the legality of a right of way which they claim is the source of difficulties with antisocial behaviour.

The White Oaks Residents’ Association have been campaigning for years to have a ‘greenway’ through the estate closed – this was voted down by a narrow margin of 10-8 by councillors last week during a meeting on the Draft City Development Plan.

Local area councillors – including Niall McNelis who lives in the estate – claimed last week that some residents are “petrified” at night.

The residents have since held discussions with a barrister and told the Council that they plan to mount a High Court challenge to the legality of whether a right of way actually exists at the greenway.

They have long argued that significant levels of antisocial behaviour are caused by the access. The throughway has a Council-installed gate which was locked last November.

Since that date, residents say that all antisocial behaviour problems in the area have ceased.

The matter was hotly debated at City Council during the City Development plan last week with the council hearing an impassioned plea from Cllr Pearce Flannery to listen to the people involved and grant them a right to live in peace.

At the Council meeting last week, Councillor Pearce Flannery proposed a motion to close the access and produced documentation that he claimed proved that no legal right of way was in existence and therefore no greenway could possibly exist.

Cllr Flannery claims the Council did not follow protocol in creating a right of way under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

“Because of this we now have a situation whereby residents are living in fear at night,” he said.

Residents’ association chair Brendan Wallace said they will not accept the decision of the Council.

“Our quality of life has been destroyed simply because certain councillors were blindly willing to support an executive that are unwilling to admit that they got it wrong. Why I do not know.

“These councillors seem to forget that they were elected by us, to represent our interests. It would appear to me that they prefer to curry favour with the executive rather than do their jobs as public representatives.

“This will go the distance through the courts and potentially cost hundreds of thousands of euro which is a shame because at the end of the day it is the taxpayers’ money the City Council are happily spending in seeking to defend an indefensible legal position.

“The legal advice given to City Council from their own advisors stated: ‘As you are aware the fact that the land over which the said greenway is primarily and predominantly located is owned by Galway City council does not in itself in our view amount to the automatic establishment of a right of way’.

“Yet still they persist in trying to force through this abomination against our wishes and in spite of a local plebiscite given to Council where over 99% of the residents demanded closure of the access due to the negative spillovers and antisocial behavior caused by this unnecessary access.

“All we are asking for is fair play and the basic right to live in peace in our homes. Our barrister is now taking the matter through the courts which to me is ludicrous in the extreme, but the Council have left us with no other option,” said Mr Wallace.

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A Connemara company is to create 35 new jobs as a result of a €3.5 million expansion.
Proxy Biomedical Limited, based in An Spidéal, is to expand with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Proxy Biomedical Limited designs, develops and manufactures implantable medical products on behalf of leading medical device manufacturers worldwide.
The company began in the city in 2002 by supplying hernia repair products to the General Surgery market before moving to An Spidéal in 2008.
To meet growing demand and to accommodate additional technologies and services, Proxy Biomedical is doubling its cleanroom manufacturing facilities and extending its R&D facilities.
The investment of €3.5 million will create 35 new jobs in the areas of manufacturing engineering, biomaterial engineers, quality and regulatory as well as production operatives.
Meanwhile, an Irish recruitment company is to create 150 new jobs in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Kerry.
50 of the new jobs at Sigmar Recruitment will be filled by year end.
The remaining positions in consultation, sales and digital marketing will be filled by 2018.

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Pádraic Ó Conaire is finally coming home to Eyre Square – at least a bronze replica of him –  following an absence of 12 years.

City councillors have been told that the structure will be in situ within two weeks.

“There are three potential areas,” Galway City Council Communications officer, Gary McMahon, said of the final location.

“A structural engineer has been appointed and it will be a feature of Eyre Square for years to come.”

The original structure had to be removed from Galway Museum so it could be used to cast the new bronze sculpture and, at the time of the meeting on Tuesday, both replicas were still in Dublin awaiting transport back to Galway.

The new one weighs 350-400kg, so it will be no mean feat to move it. Mr McMahon said that this was one of the reasons for the delay, but also getting the foundations right, and deciding where to place the artwork.

“I hope he will not be moving again, and hope to have a proper structure in place, we will endeavour to get it finished as quickly as possible,” he said.

“It will happen very soon, and will be there for a long time.”

The original Albert Power sculpture will go back to the museum, with a much sturdier version to replace it in Eyre Square.

The almost life-size statue was commissioned in the 1930s, and unveiled by Taoiseach Éamon de Valera in June 1935.

Thereafter, it formed part of Galway City’s fabric, and featured in more than a few tourist photos. However, in 1999 the statue was severely damaged, and the head removed clean from the sculpture (and the site) in a late-night prank.

It was later retrieved in a bag and re-attached by artist, Mick Wilkins, but its days were numbered.

In 2004, during the renovation works in Eyre Square, it was moved to the grounds of City Hall, and from there to the new Museum.

Cllr Padriag Conneely was critical of the 12-year absence of the iconic feature from Kennedy Park, and said that the local authority was incompetent.

“This isn’t the Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower you’re bringing over – it’s Pádraic Ó Conaire,” he said at a meeting of the City Council last week.

“We don’t have the replacement or the original – I wouldn’t have you putting in a flower bed. It’s ridiculous how you operate, you’ve left yourself wide open to criticism. Some people are not confident of you doing anything – it’s ridiculous.”

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The new owners of the ‘hole in the ground’ beside the Galway Gateway retail complex in Knocknacarra have been given permission to leave the site as it stands for another three years.

Targeted Investment Opportunities ICAV (a joint venture between investment funds managed by Oaktree Capital, the Westmeath-based Bennett Group and NAMA) purchased the 3.5-acre site in April and have told city planners that planning permission on the excavated hole adjacent to Dunnes Stores will expire before they get an opportunity to develop Phase 2 of the centre.

They sought permission for an extension of time on the retained excavation and security fencing for a period of three years, which has been approved by Galway City Council.

“Our client would require [a three-year] time period in which to commence development at the site. 2015 was the beginning of the economic recovery and our client acquired the site on April 18, 2016 and therefore needs sufficient time to review [the existing planning permission] and potentially seek amendments to the permission before development can commence,” the application reads.

The Phase 2 planning permission includes:

■ A standalone 3-4 storey block located on the northern side of a new pedestrian link to Bóthar Stiofáin.
■ The block will include a crèche at ground floor level with external play area (which will act as a drop-off for shoppers).
■ 7 retail units at ground and first floor levels (95,000 square feet of retail space).
■ Primary health care facility at second and third floor with associated ground floor lobby/reception area.
■ 3 restaurant/cafe units at ground and first floor level (10,500 sq ft) north of Dunnes Stores.
■ A further 149 parking spaces in an extension to the existing basement carpark.

The previous owners, Rumbold, carried out the extensive excavations for Phase 2, but work was abandoned in 2007 because the company could not secure funding to continue the project.

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The green light has been given for the provision of the addition of almost 430 beds at the NUI Galway campus – but planners have ordered they cannot be used as holiday lettings during the summer months.

According to NUI Galway, the reason for the development is the fact that there is less private rental accommodation in the city and therefore it diminishes the university’s competitiveness.

Local residents opposed the development on the grounds of potential noise levels but their appeal against the decision of Galway City Council to grant planning permission for the student accommodation proved unsuccessful.

The proposed development will comprise 429 number bed spaces, generally arranged in 57 units of six en suite bedrooms, 11 units of five en suite bedrooms and eight units of four en suite bedrooms, with communal living areas in each unit.

It is also proposed to construct further communal areas and facilities, ancillary office and reception accommodation, internal plant and service rooms, while refuse storage and covered cycle storage facilities will also be provided to serve the entire development.

The development will be located on over three acres of land which is currently used as a temporary car park. Access to the residential accommodation is from the Upper Newcastle Road and will form part of the existing Corrib Village.

Residents of 13 properties at Upper Newcastle Road appealed the decision to grant planning permission for the student accommodation mainly on the basis of the night time noise that the development would potentially generate.

In the appeal, the residents said that noise from student and holiday-let accommodation would be audible and could be sharp and irritating as distinct from traffic noise.

“The development will add to the discomfort of the adjoining residential properties especially rear bedrooms. The existing Corrib Village accommodation of 772 beds has been let to tourists without a grant of planning permission.

“Letting of the additional proposed 429 beds to visitors as low-cost hostel type accommodation from from May to August will occur.

“If permission is granted for the proposed development, a total of 1,200 rooms will be available. The grant of permission for the conversion of the old Montrose Hotel [Dublin] to 190 student accommodation and holiday let units has a condition attached that limits the use to student accommodation only at all times of the year,” it is stated in the appeal.

The residents argued it allowed for the use of the accommodation for summer school seminars and university-related events without creating a ‘ghetto of budget accommodation’ for commercial gain.

They added that there was a serious risk of significant noise, annoyance, visual pollution and nuisance from car parking during the summer if there were holiday lettings.

An Bord Pleanála upheld the grant of permission but ruled that there must be no summer holiday lettings.

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