The Galway city development board is to plan for more primary and secondary schools and to draw up a strategy on early learning over the next year.
The third annual report on the implementation of the board's 10-year strategy, Gaillimh Beo agus Bríomhar, which outlines the planned economic, social and cultural development of the city from 2002-2012, has been published.
The board's key targets in relation to infrastructure include the opening of the N17 bus lane, the establishment of a Galway Transport Office, the securing of funding to advance the design stage of the Séamus Quirke Road, incorporating bus lanes and the opening of a permanent park-and-ride facility in Oranmore by May 2006.
Under economic, social and cultural goals, the board is to produce a plan to market Galway Inc, to complete a regional strategic vision for tourism, and to implement the "Wake up to the West" marketing campaign for 2006, aimed at the domestic market in conjunction with Ireland West Tourism.
The board also plans to develop a strategy to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities, to identify the needs of migrant workers, and to continue to examine the potential for working from home, based on a HSE pilot initiative undertaken in 2005.
Targets in relation to health include the completion of a sports strategy for the city and a study of recreational needs, the development of a plan to tackle childhood obesity and to be accepted for the World Health Organisation (WHO) Healthy Cities Initiative.
The main goal in relation to accommodation is to continue to transfer eligible rent supplement recipients to the Rental Accommodation Scheme, under which local authorities source long-term housing for applicants.
Another target is to continue to promote interculturalism in the city and to implement the actions outlined in Towards a City of Equals, the city's anti-racism strategy.
Key priorities under heritage include the opening of the civic museum, liaising with the county council in relation to the start of a local area plan for the Ardaun Corridor, and developing design guidelines based on the new city development plan 2005-2011.
