A former Galway mayor has accused the city’s new manager of a lack of consultation with elected representatives over the local authority’s decision to make a joint purchase of the Galway Airport site for €1.1 million.
Cllr Catherine Connolly (Ind) said only half of the councillors were in the chamber on Monday night when the decision to buy the 115-acre site in partnership with Galway County Council was announced by manager Brendan McGrath.
A city council spokesman has confirmed that councillors were informed under “any other business” during a special meeting to discuss arts grants and quarterly reports from different departments. Ms Connolly said that, while it might be a “good decision”, elected representatives were owed a written report on the reasons for the purchase, and plans for the future, given that the licence for the airport was about to expire.
Park-and-ride
Two local authorities had given €50,000 each to the airport last May for a park-and-ride scheme, which had not proved successful and was discontinued in September, she noted. "We were awaiting a report on that, which we still haven't received," she said.
Galway Chamber, the airport’s majority shareholder, said it had made “every effort to keep Galway Airport licensed and operational but the situation is no longer feasible”.
The chamber’s president Jim Fennell commended both local authorities for “their foresight and vision in taking this decision”.
“The facility has been trading since 1985 at Carnmore and has made a huge contribution to the city and the region,” the chamber said.
