Plans for the development of the Cross-City Link bus scheme for Galway were lodged with An Bord Pleanála this week as the details of 31 Compulsory Purchase Orders were revealed, the Galway City Tribune reported.

The proposal, which is a cornerstone of the Galway Transportation Strategy, seeks to revolutionise public transport in the city by facilitating a direct route for buses traversing east to west.

The news comes as Iarnród Éireann announced work will begin next May on an overhaul of Ceannt Station, including the addition of three new train platforms.

It was also announced this week that a feasibility study will begin before the end of this year into whether a light rail system would be suitable for the city.

The 6.7km Cross-City Link bus route runs from University Road, over Salmon Weir Bridge, through St Francis Street, Eglinton Street, Williamsgate Street, Eyre Square, Forster Street, College Road, Lough Atalia Road and on to the Old Dublin Road.

As part of the plans, the B&B at numbers 5 and 6 Headford Road is to be bought by CPO and demolished, to widen the junction of Woodquay, Dyke Road and St Brendan’s Avenue.

In addition, a significant proportion of the Circle K filling station on College Road is required to facilitate two-way bus and car lanes – so significant that it may well leave the business unviable.

Several gardens, carparking spaces at Gleann Nóinín (adjacent to the filling station) and parking spaces at Bayview Guesthouse at Moneenageisha junction all form part of the area that is required.

Senior Engineer at Galway City Council, Uinsinn Finn, said discussions were ongoing with the 31 landowners involved, and had been for some time as a non-statutory public consultation was carried out in 2021.

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The Sick Leave Act will, for the first time, introduce an entitlement for all employees to sick leave paid by their employer in addition to illness benefit from the State.

Workers will be entitled to three days’ paid sick leave in the first year of operation, rising to five days in year two, seven days in year three with employers eventually covering the cost of ten days in year four.

Sick pay will be paid by employers at a rate of 70% of an employee’s wage, subject to a daily maximum of €110.

The law was passed by the Oireachtas in July but it won’t come into effect until the new year.

“Given the current challenging business environment and inflation in particular, I have concluded that the fairest and most appropriate approach is to introduce the entitlement on 1 January 2023,” Mr Varadkar said.

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