There are over 2,000 patients waiting at least three years for orthodontic dental treatment in Galway.

Figures released by the HSE at a Regional Health Forum West meeting reveal that 1,402 patients were on the dental treatment waiting list who have been deemed eligible for treatment. The waiting time for treatment is currently three-and-a-half years, according to the CEO of the Saolta group Tony Canavan.

A further 757 patients were awaiting assessment. These would all have an appointment by the end of July. The waiting time for the first assessment was currently three months.

In answer to questions tabled by Councillor Daithí Ó Cualáin, Breda Crehan-Roche, Chief Officer of Community Healthcare West revealed there was a Hospital Theatre Service for extractions for very young patients, complex patients and nervous patients.

“Currently 143 patients are waiting for this service, some for over two years. Theatre access was significantly reduced due to Covid– 19,” she stated.

Cllr Ó Cualáin (FF) said he had family members waiting for dental surgery at University Hospital Galway.

“The fact that there’s 143 nervous, young or complex cases waiting two years, that’s very concerning because of the pain involved…the figures are astounding.”

He said the HSE should look into the potential for some patients to be sent abroad or to Northern Ireland for treatment under the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

The HSE also revealed there were 25 private dental practices in Galway and Connemara currently registered with the HSE to treat medical card holders.

Cllr Ó Cualáin, a nurse based in Connemara, said the small number of dentists accepting medical cards was worrying.

He pointed out that 47 per cent of dentists had recently left the scheme due to the bureaucracy involved.

Galway’s Miss Earth is on top of the world!

Lourdes pilgrimage volunteers forced to call it a day

The equivalent of 1,300 wheelie bins of untreated wastewater flows into Casla Bay every day – and yet plans for a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) for An Cheathrú Rua remain stuck in limbo, more than two decades on from when it was identified as needed.

Irish Water’s longstanding and controversial plans to compulsorily purchase a site at Sruthán Pier to develop a treatment plant to serve the Gaeltacht town appears in tatters but it has yet to commit to sourcing an alternative site.

The state company persisted with the plans against the advice of public representatives and residents.

In the meantime, the owner of the site, Glann Mór Céibh Teoranta, trading as Ionad Oidreachta na mBádóirí, secured planning permission to build what it described as a ‘world class’ immersive cultural heritage visitor attraction.

And just last month, County Councillors included a provision in the new County Development Plan 2022-2028 for a 100-metre minimum setback for all new WWTPs in An Cheathrú Rua.

This vote again effectively ruled-out the Sruthán Pier, much to the annoyance of Irish Water who claimed it would, “cause uncertainty over the timeline for the delivery of the ongoing project to provide wastewater treatment for this untreated agglomeration and mean that Irish Water are unable to commit to the provision of a WWTP for An Cheathrú Rua within the lifetime of the Draft Plan.”

The new specific objective in the Development Plan and the planning permission for a cultural centre effectively sinks Irish Water’s hopes of building at Sruthán Pier.

“Irish Water are aware of the recent An Bórd Pleanála decision and we are currently reviewing its implications for the proposed sewerage scheme and the current CPO,” the company told the Connacht Tribune.

Galway West TD Catherine Connolly (Ind) raised the issue in Dáil Éireann and said more suitable sites were available.

“We cannot stand over a situation where raw sewage is flowing into the bay in Conamara, in the heart of the Gaeltacht,” she said.

Deputy Connolly said she remembers the need for a WWTP in An Cheathrú Rua from when she was first elected to the City Council in 1999; and it pre-dates that.

She said locals believe an Údarás na Gaeltachta site in Ros an Mhíl could provide a solution.

“There is a site in the ownership of a state agency, we were told that that was too costly, but nobody has made up the cost of not dealing with the raw sewage,” she said.

Green Party Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said it was “unacceptable for raw sewage to be discharging into our water courses”.

He agreed that if there was an alternative site, Irish Water should pursue it.

Údarás na Gaeltachta, in a statement to the Tribune, indicated it was open to working with Irish Water (Uisce Éireann), on progressing a project at Ros an Mhíl.

“The existing WWTP in Ros an Mhíl was designed and commissioned to deal with the Údarás na Gaeltachta industrial estate facilities at the location, along with facilities at Ros an Mhíl port.

“While unable to comment on the capacity requirements of a municipal treatment plant for the An Cheathrú Rua region, Údarás are open to co-operating with Uisce Éireann in assisting with any such development.

“Indeed, Údarás na Gaeltachta has worked in the past with Uisce Éireann in providing Údarás wastewater facilities that were subsequently upgraded by UÉ for use as municipal wastewater treatment systems,” it said.

Kevin O’Hara, a Sinn Féin rep in Conamara, said a needs’ assessment carried out in the 2000s identified 2012 as the completion date for the facility; ten years on there’s no start date and no site let alone a finish date.

“I’m concerned with some of the narrative around it because there is a push there to put it into Ros a’ Mhíl, and possibly link it with the deep-water port development there. But there’s no guarantee that development will happen. It’s been announced in fanfare but . . . Whereas the sewage treatment plant is legally required. We are in breach of EU law by not having it.

“If we haven’t started to incur fines already, we will soon incur fines because they promised the EU they’d get this done for quite a while now,” Mr O’Hara said.

He said that the lack of WWTP was causing problems for locals trying to get planning permissions, because new homes rely on septic tanks, which can provide a planning hurdle.

“There’s no leadership from Irish Water; it is their responsibility; it is their problem. I don’t think as an organisation they are functioning well or making progress in Conamara,” he said.

Irish Water reiterated the need for WWTP.

“The proposed project will stop the discharge of the equivalent of 1,300 wheelie bins of untreated wastewater being discharged directly into Casla Bay each day. The existing wastewater network was constructed in the 1950’s and upgraded in 2007.

“Wastewater from the village is collected in the public sewer system and is discharged to the sea outfall to Casla Bay at Sruthán Pier. There is currently no treatment of the wastewater prior to discharge to Casla Bay,” it said.

A gang of thugs destroyed parts of the much loved ‘Walks’ amenity in Loughrea three times in a week – after a massive community effort had restored it to its former glory.

But while first welcoming the retention of the Blue Flag for the ‘grey lake’ in the town, Councillor Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher also revealed people were breaking equipment, pulling down lights and destroying fences along the route which dates back to the 1700s and features a historic moate along the river behind the Main Street.

Since 2017 the stone walls have been undergoing a major programme of repair along the Walks, after a local committee spearheaded a drive to return the amenity to its former grandeur.

Cllr Maher (FG) told this month’s Loughrea Municipal District meeting that said the vandals attacked stretches of it last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, even after it was repaired each day.

It had become a haven for drug taking, he claimed.

“It is alive with drugs unfortunately. Something needs to happen. I’ve been down to the Garda station, and they’ve asked us to put cameras in…it’s pure thuggery. People are afraid to go down there.”

In relation to the loss of the Blue Flag in Traught Beach in Kinvara, Fine Gael Councillor Joe Byrne said the amenity was high in pollution in just two out of 35 samples taken over four years.

The level of pollution was high after periods of heavy rain and as this was a karst region much of the runoff from the land came from surrounding land and into the water. Samples taken within two days of these high levels showed they had returned to normal levels.

The earliest Traught could regain its Blue Flag would be 2025.

He urged Galway County Council to replace its septic tank at the beach which was not up to standard pointing out that the local authority was quick to pursue private householders for inadequate septic tanks but did not have their own in order.

Director of services for the Loughrea area Eileen Ruane said significant progress had been made in relation to replacing the septic tank and some land was required to build it. There was a provision in this year’s budget to carry that out.

It was An Taisce which issued the Blue and Green Flags and they had very strict criteria on what was needed to get the award.

“The message shouldn’t go out it isn’t safe to swim in Kinvara. There’s excellent water quality there.”

The new chair of the Athenry/Oranmore Municipal District plans to lead county councillors on a bus journey to Dublin – to picket Dáil Éireann for more money for Galway.

Liam Carroll (FG), voted in as Cathaoirleach at the latest MD meeting, said all 39 Galway County Councillors should hire a bus and travel to Dublin to protest outside of the Dáil.

He said the idea was suggested to him by a constituent, and he agreed “there is merit in that”.

Cllr Carroll said Galway County Council had the lowest funding of any local authority in the country per head of population and elected members needed to make their voices heard.

As well as seeking a larger funding pie for County Galway as a whole, Cllr Carroll said he would fight during his year in office for additional funding for the Athenry/Oranmore Municipal District, which also includes Claregalway.

He said that 25% of all new residential developments earmarked to take place in Galway over the term of the new County Development Plan to 2028, was planned for Athenry/Oranmore MD.

That means 4,750 new residential units out of 18,500 planned for the county will be in the Athenry/Oranmore MD and funding must reflect that.

“We get 8% of the roads budget but we have 20-25% of the population of the county,” he said.

Cllr James Charity (Ind) suggested Cllr Carroll meets with the chairs of all other MDs during budget negotiations to find a fair and equitable way of funding Athenry/Oranmore MD.

Cllr Jim Cuddy (Ind) said that the area produced 20% of the entire Local Property Tax take in County Galway but got a fraction of it back in LPT funding.

He said that all roads to Galway City go through the MD, and the way roads budgets are allocated by kilometres of road as opposed to how busy they were, was a disadvantage for Athenry/Oranmore MD.

As well as funding, Cllr Carroll said he would prioritise transport during his term as chair.

He would invite the heads of Bus Éireann, Irish Rail and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to address the chamber in the coming months on those organisations plans for better public transport services and infrastructure projects within the Municipal District.

Cllr Carroll was elected unopposed to the position and replaces his party colleague, Cllr David Collins, under a ruling pact between Fine Gael and Independents.

Cllr Gabe Cronnelly takes over the reins as Leas-Cathaoirleach from fellow Independent Cllr Charity.

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