A Welcome Note

A chara, I hope the latest edition of my newsletter, Inside Look, finds you, and those close to you well.

I wanted to ensure I keep you up to date on my work, news and a behind the scenes snapshot of my work at Leinster House and in the constituency.

You can of course receive regular updates on my social media channels below.

As always, if you need my assistance with any issue, please do not hesitate to contact the office and I or a member of my team will be in touch.

Anne

Minister McConalogue opens Athenry Office

I was delighted to welcome Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, to Galway in June.

A jam-packed visit, Minister McConalogue began his visit by officially opening my new constituency office in Athenry.

We then proceeded to Athenry Mart, where we met with a number of staff as well as members of the Athenry Show committee.

Our visit then proceeded to the opening of McAllister Distillery in Ahascaragh before visiting the team in Easyfix Ballinasloe, finishing with a visit to David Haye's farm in Kiltomer.

Site Submissions Sought for New Elective Hospital in Galway

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It's fantastic to see the development of a new elective hospital in Galway was announced in May, with potential sites being assessed at present.

The development will see a major increase in health provision for people across the county and further afield. Once developed, the elective hospital will provide quicker, higher quality, safer care for selected, elective patients.

It will also create capacity and reduce incidents of people waiting on trolleys. In addition, it will also drive down waiting lists for outpatient, inpatient and day cases.

2.5 Million Allocated to Major Redevelopment of Portumna Courthouse

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After being vacant for two decades, I’m delighted to have secured €2.55 million for the redevelopment of ‘Portumna Courthouse ArtsCentre’ as one of 24 landmark regeneration projects in rural communities across the country.

The courthouse will be the site of a new multi-purpose arts, performance, remote working space, with the courtyard becoming an outdoor social space.

The funding is being provided under the government’s ambitious new ‘Our Rural Future’

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€6.1 Million Allocated to Galway County Council for Footpaths and Cycleways

As part of the first ever major active travel investment programme for rural Ireland, €6.1m has been allocated to Galway CoCo to develop high quality walking and cycling facilities around the county.

Galway has received the single largest allocation of any County Council in the country, with footpath improvement works worth between €300,000 and €500,000 being provided to Tuam, Athenry, Gort, Loughrea and Ballinasloe. Craughwell, Abbey, Kiltormer, Eyrecourt and Monivea will also share €400,000 for footpath improvements.

These projects will undoubtedly make a real meaningful difference to these communities.

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€890,000 invested in Galway Water and Wastewater Upgrades

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Just under €900,000 was invested in upgrade works to water and wastewater infrastructure in Galway City and County last year.

Irish Water replaced a number of failing or outdated facilities at wastewater treatment plants, as well as replacing areas of frequently failing water mains.

Among the projects undertaken in 2020 was the replacement of bulk storage tanks at the Portumna WWTP, which were at the end of their operational lifespan, and undersized for the modern demand on the system.

New tanks were installed for €70,000, which resulted in the need for less frequent chemical deliveries, and an improvement in the treatment process for 22,000 people.

The investment in Galway’s infrastructure was part of two stimulus packages for the upgrade of water and wastewater services, totaling €87 million in 2020, announced by Minister Darragh O’Brien.

In total, Galway City and County benefitted from €890,000 investment in upgrades to water and wastewater services from the Stimulus Package.

Investing in the heritage of Rural Galway

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€224,867 secured from community monuments fund

• Abbeygorman Ecclestial Site Ballinasloe €70,000
• Dolphin Burial Tomb, Bullaun, Loughrea €22,000
• Killora Church & Graveyard, Craughwell €16,000
• Kilclooney Tower House €70,000
• Kiltartan Church and Graveyard €16,0000
• Kilbought Church and Graveyard €15,000
• St Kerrils Abbey €15,857

Policy and Legislation

• Commenced the Irish Sign Language Act, which gives ISL official language status.
• Ensured disability services deemed as ‘essential’ at all COVID-19 restrictions levels which saw return of many services.
• Published Ireland’s Initial State Report under UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for public consultation. The report describes recent advances in the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland.
• Finalised amendments to the Assisted Decision-Making Act

85 New Therapy Posts

In addition to the 100 therapy posts allocated in Budget 2021, I have secured an additional 85 therapy posts to further strengthen Children’s Disability Network Teams around the country.

This is a big boost for these teams, which will help reduce the wait time families are currently facing to access therapies such as psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy.

These clinicians will be linked to existing posts in certain special schools in the counties, while also being part of the local Children’s Disability Network Teams. They will receive their clinical governance and supervision while therapists will be assigned to provide in-reach therapy to the special school they’re working with.

In CHO2, which covers Galway, Roscommon and Mayo, this equates to an additional 8.75 Whole Time Equivalent staff for the area.

A Snapshot of our wins

• Secured €7.8 million to tackle AoN backlog, which is now down 80% from 6,500 to around 1,300. Four CHOs completely clear. Most work carried out at peak of COVID-19 restrictions.
• Complete rollout of 91 Children's
• Secured €7.8 million to tackle AoN backlog, which is now down 80% from 6,500 to around 1,300. Four CHOs completely clear. Most work carried out at peak of COVID-19 restrictions.
• Reversed 1% cut to disability services saving €20m for sector.
• Record €100 million new funding for Disability in Budget 2021.
• Secured €10 million to bolster respite and day services in response to Covid-19.
• Launched €20 million Strengthening Disability Services Fund.
• €5 million was secured to develop 9 new respite centres - one in each CHO - with the first being St Gabriel’s, Limerick which is now open.
• Establishment of Disability Participation & Consultation Network, ensuring increased engagement of people with disabilities in the drafting of policy and legislation.
• Launched a pilot project that will transfer 18 additional U65s out of nursing homes back into their community, with the supports they need.
• Committed to 144 people being supported to move out of congregated settings through procurement of 30 additional houses.
• Increased delivery of PA hours and delivered 6.7% above target in 2020.
• Extended Personalised Budget Pilot Scheme.
• Secured pay restoration for Section 38 workers.
• Creation of €2.5m Disability Integration Fund.
• increased investment in the Decision Support Service to prepare for operation in 2022.
• Announced creation of a cross-departmental Autism Innovation Strategy that will deliver real and tangible solutions to the challenges, needs and experiences of people with autism.
• Created HSE Autism Phoneline to provide assistance for families who have questions and need information about services in their area.

Therapy Support

• Complete rollout of 91 Children’s Disability Network Teams (by end of June).
• Secured 100 clinician posts to populate these teams and increasing the delivery of therapeutic supports to children
• Secured funding for an additional 85 clinician posts to further strengthen the CDNTs and their focus on interventions.
• Vaccination of Disability Service users and staff as priority.
• Resumption of Disability Day services.

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Education

Gort

Gort Community School is to receive a major extension, with additional approved building works which will include:

• 19 x General Classrooms
• 3 Classroom Sen base
• 7 SET Rooms
• One DP Office
• One Art Room
• One Graphics Room
• Three Science Lab/Prep Area
• One Construction Studies Prep Area
• One Engineering Room
• One Tech Prep Room
• 3 Project Stores
• One staff room
• One GP/Dining Area
• Alterations to PE Hall including fitness suite and storage
• an increase from 6 new classrooms to 19 new classrooms
• a new staff room and
• a new PE Hall and Fitness Suite.

Working closely with Department officials and Minister Foley for acknowledging this need and granting approval for what will now be a massive multi-million euro extension to this excellent school.

Trinity Primary School Dublin

Under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme - approved for works to allow for the inclusion of an existing prefab on site to be used for SEN provision pending the delivery of a project for the school.

Ballinderry national School Tuam

Additional School Accommodation Scheme - Extension - Devolved

One 80 sq metre mainstream classroom

Presentation College Headford

Large Scale Capital Programme - Extension and Refurbishment - Major Devolved

New build extension for an increase to 1000 pupil post primary school with 3 Class SEN base, includes refurbishment and demolition of existing buildings.

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The Shannon Mighty River of Ireland

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A Tourism Masterplan for the Shannon 2020 - 2030

Reimagining the River Shannon and Shannon Erne Waterway

The Shannon Tourism Masterplan was launched in March 2021 following 18 months of collaborative work by the 10 Local Authorities and Fáilte Ireland, led by Waterways Ireland.
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The Shannon Tourism Masterplan sets out a bold and integrated framework for sustainable tourism development along the Shannon and Shannon Erne Waterway repositioning the region as a key tourism destination within Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, with world class visitor experiences based on the region’s natural and cultural assets. Implementation has already begun.

Should you wish to learn more about this project please visit: Shannon Tourism Masterplan​

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Portumna finalists in the .IE Digital Awards

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The .IE Digital Town Awards are the first pillar of activity under .IE Digital Town which has been developed to address digital enhancement and adoption in Ireland.

The Awards promote awareness, knowledge, use and understanding of digital in Ireland by its citizens, businesses and communities. They also highlight the benefits and possibilities of digital and celebrate the digital achievements of local towns, big and small.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on our country. Digital offers the opportunity to create new ways of doing things, promote innovation and breathe new life into local communities, making them more attractive places to live and work as well as contributing to a more sustainable future.

The 2021 winners and runners up on 10 June at a virtual Awards ceremony.

Dingle Peninsula was crowned the overall winner. View the full list of winners and runners-up.​

Watch the ceremony here: https://www.weare.ie/awards-2021-watch-back/​

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Xplore Gort launched on the 10th May 2021 at Kilmacduagh

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The highly-anticipated Xplore Gort App was launched on the 10th May 2021 at Kilmacduagh, Irelands largest round tower in the presence of Minister of State Anne Rabbitte, Laura Tannian, Enterprise Development Manager of The Forge Works, Elodie Golden CEO of Wild Geese, Jonathan Madden, COMWORKS and Maevita De Barros representing the Xplore Local team.

Xplore is a digital infrastructure for towns developed by Galway based company, Booniverse Limited. The platform’s simplistic design allows users to interact with a variety of towns without having to download multiple apps or visit multiple websites. Users enable location services or select a region to simply stay local.

Gort has now become part of Xplore’s growing network of towns that extends from Galway to Kerry, from Cork to Carlow. The launch is indicative of a wider movement in towns across the country, where enterprising locals are seeking out new and efficient ways to boost their local economies, attract tourists and promote their towns’ amenities.

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McAllister Distillery Ahascragh

Gareth and Michelle McAllister, a husband and wife team have lived and worked in countries across Europe, the US and Asia, and returned to Ireland with the dream of turning their passion for craft Irish spirits into a family business.

They set our sights on opening a whiskey and gin distillery in the West of Ireland and when they visited the old mill in Ahascragh, County Galway, they fell in love with its story: the beautiful stonework, the history of the buildings and the character of the small village drew them in.

McAllister Distillers was established with the purpose of producing authentically crafted Irish spirits to the highest quality of tasting experience with unique and innovative flavours.

Their mission is to help family and friends celebrate meaningful moments and occasions, strengthening new and old connections.

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Galway Wool:

Uniquely Superior Irish Bio-Fibre – From Sheep to Shop

A hardworking group of Irish Wool Growers has withdrawn their uniquely Irish produce from The World Wool Commodities Market. Dismayed at the sharply falling price of their wool, this innovative group decided to find a direct route to market for their superior Native Irish Wool.

“The Galway “is Ireland’s Native breed of sheep. It is from her wool that the Irish Aran Sweater was created. Before the introduction of European and British Breeds in the ’70s, Irish Farmers were successful in earning a living from this Native Irish Sheep Breed; happily producing beautiful crisp white wool from this placid, dual-purpose sheep.

As the demand for the faster meat-producing sheep breeds increased, sadly The Galway Sheep numbers started to decline. Simultaneously, our tourist industry was growing and so too was the cruel reality of Irish Crafts being produced with Australian and South African merino wool and subsequently being labeled as Irish Wool Product.

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A Picture is worth A Thousand Words

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