The author of a new book about the Tuam Mother and Baby Home says time is running out for truth and justice.

'My Name is Bridget' documents the life of one woman who entered the home in her twenties, in 1946.

Journalist Alison O'Reilly says Bridget Dolan died without answers - and delays to the final report of the Commission of Investigation are unacceptable.

The first baby of 2019 born at University Hospital Galway arrived into the world at 11.27 yesterday morning.

Baby Tadhg O'hEochaidh was born to parents Clíodhna Griffin and Éinne Ó hEochaidh at the Galway hospital.

Former RTE producer Kieran Creavan has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for child sex offences.

The 55 year old Ballinasloe native pleaded guilty to two offences at Leeds Crown Court.

He was caught by a pedophile hunting vigilante group in England in November of last year after grooming a fictitious 13 year old girl.

He admitted attempting to meet a child following grooming for a sexual purpose and attempting to cause a child to engage in kissing and cuddling.

He was given bail in November and instructed to have no unsupervised access to children.

The N17 Ballindine to Milltown road remains closed to traffic this evening following a fatal collision overnight which claimed the life of a man in his 30's.

Shortly after 1am this morning, a car and van collided at Carrownurlar, Milltown.

The driver of the car, who's believed to be a foreign national, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the van, a man in his 50's, was taken to Mayo University Hospital as a precautionary measure.

Gardai in Tuam are appealing for any witnesses to contact them at 093 - 70840 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

Beaches in Galway and Sligo have been included in TripAdvisor’s top ten best beaches in Ireland – this year’s list is dominated by the Wild Atlantic Way.

Inch Beach on the Dingle Peninsula in Kerry takes the top spot for 2018, followed Inchydoney strand near Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

In third place is Dog's Bay Beach, Roundstone in Galway, while Strandhill Beach in Co. Sligo in number 9 on the list.

TripAdvisor says its Travellers’ Choice awards are determined based on traveller reviews gathered over a 12-month period.

A body has been found in a search for a missing swimmer in Galway Bay.

The Coast Guard helicopter based in Shannon (R115) spotted a body on the seabed in shallow water offshore at approximately 10:15am this morning, as part of the on-going search for a missing swimmer off Salthill. The body was recovered into the Galway Inshore Life boat for transfer to Galway University Hospital to facilitate identification procedures.

Conditions for searching at the time were very good with excellent sub surface visibility leading to the successful search and recovery. Search units involved included Coast Guard, RNLI, An Garda Síochána and Civil defence teams on the water and volunteer divers provide by the CFT (Irish Underwater Council), with Coast Guard shore search units working with An Garda Síochána also. The maritime search was co-ordinated by Valentia Coast Guard Coordination Centre.

Pending formal identification the search will be stood down.

The 40-year-old man got into difficulty in the sea at Blackrock in Salthill just before 5 o’clock yesterday evening.

The body discovered on a beach in Galway earlier this week has been identified as that of missing man Robert Murray.

A search had been underway for a number of weeks for the 25-year old missing from Salthill.

His body was found on Renmore beach on Monday evening and removed to University Hospital Galway for post-mortem examination.

Gardai say foul play is not suspected, and a file will be prepared for the Coroner.

Meanwhile Galway Gardai are continuing to appeal for information on Roland Mitchell.

The 26-year old from Fr Griffin Road in Galway was last seen on Saturday evening last, and his family are concerned for his wellbeing.

The body of a young man from Galway was recovered over the weekend.

Searches had been underway for 24-year old Conor Burke from Headford Road in Galway, who was last seen in Galway city in the early hours of last Thursday morning.

His family and Gardai were concerned for his safety, and a search of the city's waterways and shoreline was undertaken.

Gardai, with assistance from the coastguard and RNLI, recovered his body from the water near NUI Galway on Saturday.

Conor's funeral will take place in Galway tomorrow.

Following advice from the Health Service Executive, Irish Water and Galway County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice for homes and businesses on both sides of Barrack Street in Loughrea town supplied by the Loughrea-Knockanima Public Water Supply. The notice was issued to protect consumers following a recent drinking water quality test.

The Boil Water Notice has been put in place following the detection of E. coli in the water supply to Barrack Street, Loughrea town.

Irish Water drinking water compliance and operational experts are working with colleagues in Galway County Council to resolve this situation as soon as possible. In the meantime, all customers on Barrack Street in Loughrea town are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

The areas affected include both sides of Barrack Street in Loughrea town from the Green to Lake Road. The Boil Water Notice does not apply to other areas in Loughrea.

The Sisters of Bon Secours, who ran St Mary's Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, says they're willing to participate in a redress scheme for survivors.

In a statement, the Order has apologised for its part in the scandal and says that it did not live up to its Christianity when running the home.

The Sisters also acknowledge that infants and children who died at the Home were buried in a disrespectful and unacceptable way.

The scandal of what happened in Tuam and in various other Mother & Baby Homes around the country was revealed following the work of Tuam historian Catherine Corless.

The Commission of Investigation was set up after her research showed that up to 800 babies and children were buried in an unmarked mass grave at the site of the former home in Tuam.

On foot of the publication yesterday of the Commission's report, Taoiseach Mícheal Martin will make a formal State apology in the Dáil later to survivors of Mother & Baby Homes.

To raise awareness of melanoma in Ireland and to encourage a life-long habit among Irish people of regularly checking their moles, Boots Ireland are now offering an innovative mole scanning service in ten Boots pharmacies nationally.

These stores include Castlebar and Shop Street in Galway.

Developed in conjunction with ScreenCancer UK, the Boots Mole Scanning Service allows people aged 18 and over to have their moles or pigmented lesions scanned using a specialist device called a SIAscope.

The scan is then assessed by a dermatology specialist, and each person will receive a report based on the specialist assessment.

Another member of the Oliver family who rescued two paddle boarders in Galway Bay last week has helped save the life of a kite surfer who got into difficulty in the bay at the weekend.

Fisherman Patrick Oliver and his 18-year old son Morgan were hailed heroes when they rescued Sara Feeney (23) and her 17-year old cousin Ellen Glynn after the pair spent the night drifting on their paddle boards in a storm.

The 38-year old father and his son correctly worked out using tidal and weather information where the pair might have drifted and located them clinging to a lobster pot buoy south of the Aran Islands, almost 20 miles from where they had entered the sea in Furbo.

This weekend David Oliver, a brother of the fisherman, helped save a kite surfer who got into difficulty at Ballyloughnane near the city.

The man, in his 30s and understood to be English, set off on Saturday afternoon around 4.50pm in a north westerly breeze of three to four knots as the tide was going out.

The man, who was wearing a wetsuit but did not have a life-jacket, fell off the board a number of times and became heavily fatigued before being blown on to Rabbit Island.

The alarm was raised by a member of the public and the Irish Coastguard tasked Galway RNLI Lifeboat and the surfer was rescued at 5.20pm. He did not require medical treatment.

The volunteer crew included David Oliver, brother of fisherman Patrick who rescued the paddle boarders last weekend, while another brother Kieran is also a member of the Galway RNLI.

The relieved kite surfer thanked the crew who rescued him, including helmsman Declan Killilea, Brian Niland, Joanne Casserly and David McGrath, with shore crew Sean King and David Oliver.

Irish Water Safety CEO John Leech issued a renewed appeal last week after the paddle boarders, both of who were wearing buoyancy aids, for all water users to wear lifesaving equipment.

“The vast majority of people now wear life jackets, more than 80 per cent of people do, but there is still that 15 to 20 per cent who just seem to think they’re not for them,” he said.

Bus Eireann has announced a recruitment campaign to hire almost 200 people for jobs around the country.

This includes 190 drivers and additional mechanic roles to service the ongoing expansion of the national network.

The jobs will be in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Mayo, Waterford, Wicklow, Navan, Drogheda, Limerick and west Clare.

A callout is going out to women today, to join Bus Eireann as bus drivers.

The company's holding open days at its depots in Cork, Galway and Dublin during the day.

It's also recruiting Apprentice Heavy Vehicle Mechanics this year and is encouraging applications from women.

Bus Eireann is to hire thirty people in Galway and eight in Mayo, under a new recruitment plan announced by the company today.

Over 200 people will be hired nationwide, as the company recruits additional drivers and mechanics to service the ongoing expansion of the national network.

The jobs will be in Mayo, Galway, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Wicklow, Navan, Deogheda, Limerick and west Clare.

In Mayo Bus Eireann is looking at bringing in some additional services on Route 52 under the PSO – that’s the Ballina-Westport-Galway route and faster journey times.

In Galway there will be increased services on Route 404 and Route 409.

Bus Eireann has returned to financial stability, and is today announcing ambitious plans for the future.

The company achieved an operating profit last year of €1.6 million - compared with a loss of €6.8 million in 2017.

It also reduced its deficit from €23.7 million to €6.7 million in the past year.

Bus Eireann says the financial recovery was due to the implementation of over 60 businesses measures over the last two years, together with strong growth in passenger numbers -which are now at their highest since 2008.

Bus Eireann carried 83.6 million passengers in 2018.

The company says 102 new buses will be introduced countrywide this year - double decker buses will be introduced in Galway, Cork and Limerick cities with low floor accessible buses being introduced in Mayo, Galway, Sligo and parts of Donegal.

250 new drivers have also joined Bus Eireann following a recent recruitment drive.

Businesses across Mayo, Galway and Roscommon are encouraged to attend the launch of the new Regional Enterprise Plan for the area taking place on Monday.

The launch of the Regional Enterprise Plan for the West, the third of nine such events nationwide will be held at Portershed Galway at 9am on Monday.

The plan will be launched by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys and then Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Sean Kyne.

Minister Kyne says the West has shown great progress in employment levels since the launch of our Regional Action Plan in early 2015.

The Cabinet has approved the business case for an outer bypass for Galway City.

The project will now be submitted to An Bord Pleanala, and if approved, will proceed to construction stage.

Transport Minister Shane Ross says the scheme will reduce traffic congestion in Galway city, and provide direct access from the new motorway to industrial parks at Ballybrit and Parkmore.

Galway East TD Séan Canney has welcomed today's Cabinet decision, which he says brings the outer city bypass a step forward to alleviate traffic congestion.

Deputy Canney told Midwest News this evening that the creation of this bypass will reduce commuting time for thousands of workers in Galway, and will improve access to University Hospital Galway and NUIG.

Cabinet Ministers have approved legislation to allow people living on islands to vote on the same day as the mainland.

Islands off the Mayo, Galway and Donegal coasts usually vote two days before the rest of the country in elections and referenda.

The Minister with responsibility for the islands Sean Kyne says that, with improved transport services to and from islands in recent years, same-day voting is more practical and should be introduced.

His Galway West colleague, Fianna Fail TD Eamon O'Cuiv had introduced the Islands Voting Bill, which was approved at today's Cabinet meeting.

Minister Kyne says this decision will enable the electoral legislation to proceed to Committee Stage.

Fianna Fail councillors have formally asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) to audit the company established to manage Galway’s year as European capital of culture.

The party’s group on Galway city council said it wants the audit carried out “as soon as possible, to ensure accountability is in place for taxpayer funding”.

In a letter to the C&AG the group points out that the Galway 2020 company confirmed it had spent €18m of the €19m received from government and EU sources. “This is despite the widespread cancellation of events caused due to Covid-19,” the letter states.

A limited entity, Galway Cultural Development and Activity Company, was established to run the European capital of culture programme. The not-for-profit company provides a governance structure and has a voluntary board.

The Sunday Times is reporting that after it’s programme was suspended because of the pandemic, 17 staff were made redundant.

A revised programme of events is to run from September to March 2021.