‘Little brown trout’ in bay make mockery of Green Leaf
Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley
There was a downpour of rain there yesterday, which means if you go for a September swim at any of our city beaches, the likelihood is you’ll be bathing alongside last night’s dinner.
That’s the logic of Galway City Council’s explanation for a bathing ban at Ballyloughane and Grattan beaches earlier this Summer.
Indeed, every Summer, without fail, it will rain in Galway. And when it rains, the extra water washes human faeces from our inadequate human waste system into the sea. And when that happens, the levels of bacteria in the water spike.
The higher levels of Intestinal Enterococci and E. Coli, can be quite dangerous and cause stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and cramps.
That’s only the dangers to bathers; imagine what it does to fish?
The Council then issues a warning notice not to swim at its beaches.
They prefer to say that there were “elevated levels of bacteria . . . due to increased rainfall levels . . . with contamination occurring through the surface water outfalls discharging to the beaches.”
But that’s Galway City Council, making “There’s s**t in the water because it rained heavily” sound so eloquent since forever. All the while, the local authority reminds us of how Galway City has been recognised at European level for its “commitment to better environmental outcomes.”
Galway, Green Leaf City 2017, how are ya!
HSE proves class is temporary; Shantalla helipad is permanent
The Health Service Executive (HSE) once again declined an opportunity to publicly confirm when it intends to return land in Shantalla, to the community, which it is borrowing on what is supposed to be a temporary basis, for use as a helipad.
When the matter was raised at the HSE West Regional Health Forum meeting before the summer recess, Ann Cosgrove, chief operating office with Saolta University Healthcare Group, said: “The HSE have been asked by Galway City Council to contribute to the Transport Management Plan with regards the development of scheme proposal for access to UHG off the Browne Roundabout.
“It is hoped that the development of the Galway City Council scheme will address the requirements of the Emergency Services for improved facilities for helicopter landings and ambulance access as part of the overall process. It is intended that this will be a constructive process and all key stakeholders will be involved.”
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.