Galway Advertiser 1990/1990_04_26/GA_26041990_E1_001.pdf 

Extracted text

S Gcrluuay AOvertiser
INSIDE
T H I S WEEK

SAFER THAN A KINGDOM
However Sergeant Pat Galway is safertolive in than Waterford, Kilkenny Guerin, Crime Prevention Officer, Mill Street Station or the Kingdom of Kerry. says Galway is a relative The latest crime figures ly safe place to live. "No significant increase 31 per cent in crime in in crime has been record ed over the past three those areas, Unofficial statistics years in Galway. But that show an overall rise of five doesn't mean private and per cent in crime in other householders businesses should become areas outside Dublin. complacent about securi ty." He claims roaming crime gangs are on the rampage in provincial towns in search of "easy takings" and says people must be on their guard, particularly now as sum mer approaches. The Galway Sergeant advises people to review their security procedures from time to time and says owners of city centre businesses should be on the alert.

by MARY O'CONNOR

OIL

SPILL H A R M S W I L D LIFE
previous one which occured when a delivery man opened the wrong oil valve. However the previous one was contained within the college canal. This canal originates in Shantalla and goes onto the Newcastle Road, joining the river below the Salmon Weir. Mr. Noone says about 20 to 30 gallons of heavy domestic oil was spilt this time. It happened in one of the boiler rooms. A pipe which was resting on brackets fractured at its base. From there the oil seeped into the college stream.

Birds and wildlife are under threat follow ing an oil spill in the Claddagh basin early Tuesday morning. At least 30 swans have been affected, and according to I.S.P.C.A. Regional Of ficer, Tony Luffe, 12 are badly covered and need cleaning. Second Spillage Several attempts to
rescue the birds by Galway Corporation and Mr. Luffe, failed. Mr Luffe is concerned the birds may swallow the oil while preening. "This could result in internal burning." The Western Regional Fisheries Board is also concerned salmon and young eel in the area will be affected. "This has happened at a critical time, because eels are going up the Corrib from the sea. We also have a peak run of salmon at the moment, the older salmon are going up river, the smolts are going to sea. They have to pass through the oil, and we don't know how much damage will be done," says Kevin Rodgers of the Board He feels the Corporation should have put absorbent material into place to tackle the spill. The Corporation say they have identified the source of the oil and are working to minimise the damage. Although their spokes man refuses to comment, it is believed the oil comes from UCG, where there was a spill into the college canal on Tuesday morning. This is the second spillage in U.C.G. in recent weeks. According to Bill Noone, of the U.C.G. buildings office, this is a smaller spill than the

--The long road to Mutton Island.
See Page 18 (Comment--Page 22)

INDEX

"Public - Be Vigilant"
The pipe has been in use

FEATURES

for 15 years, and Mr. Noone says, pipes of this nature which are for heavy oil are designed to last a life time. "It obviously weakened where it was resting on the bracket. We have repaired it and examined the others. The heating season is almost over, and once the system is turned off we will replace anything needing to be replaced." He says UCG has ex tremely high maintenance systems. "The recent spillage was the first ever, and was due to human er ror. It is important to have secondary systems so that if spillages like this do oc cur, they can be contain ed." Mr. Noone says the col lege canal has been clean ed, but the college does not know what has gone out in to the basin. "The problem is there seems to be a different kind of oil flowing from another source which is also going into the basin." Mr. Luff from the I.S.P.C.A. is now concern ed about the effect on wildlife when the oil washes out into the bay. He has asked the public to keep watch for any ill birds, and to notify him.

by JUDY MURPHY

> AND FEATHERED--The pathetic sight of a dead bird and damaged swans at the Claddagh yesterday.

THIS SUMMER
Let us show you h o w to

INCREASE YOUR TURNOVER
SO

LET'S CLEAN UP T H E COUNTRY!
Galway County Council has agreed to provide free refuse sacks for Residents Associations or householders for the week Sat April 28th - Mon. May 5th.
The move has followed a request from An Taisce President, Dr. Emer Col leran of U.C.G. who is organising a week long clean-up of the coun tryside. The aim is to make people more aware of the growing problem of litter in rural Ireland. Says a Council spokes man "We will provide refuse sacks free of charge and if Residents Associa tions want to do a big clean-up we will provide a skip or will take away the refuse for them." The campaign is backed by Bord Bainne and hopes to achieve positive results in the cleaning up of road sides, beaches etc. Says Or. Emer CoUeran "We want to address inividuals rather than groups. We want people to become more aware of the litter. The amount of plastic littering the road sides and beaches and clogging up streets is par ticularty bad at this time of year. The Local Authorities cant cope with it, and it is up to concern ed individuals to clean up the countryside." Dr. Colleran strewed that the campaign has received the fullest sup port of the Local Authorities and appealed to people to take part. An Taisce aims to enlist the help of groups like the ICA, IFA, ICMSA and Ma era Na Feirme in the nationwide clean-up.

PUBLICANS/HOTELIERS See our Advert on Page 4

CLAN ELECTRIC
11 UPPER DOMINICK STREET, GALWAY.

Phone: 68710

by MARY O'CONNOR

"Clan's Your Man"