More than 70 trees in Galway's Eyre Square which were due to be felled this autumn have been given a reprieve thanks to Ireland's forthcoming EU presidency.
Galway is to be the site of one of the first presidency events when the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, hosts an informal council of enterprise ministers from January 15th to 17th next. The city council has been told that embarking on its €5 million redesign of Eyre Square would not be advisable at this point, for security reasons.
Ironically, Europe represents the last hope for opponents of the square's redesign. The Galway Environmental Alliance has lodged a complaint with the European Commission over the plan accepted by the city council. It will involve a US-style plaza, a sculpture park and children's play area, and removal of some 76 of the existing 101 trees.
The original concept would have removed more foliage, but An Bord Pleanála requested retention of 21 of the 101 trees. The city council then agreed to hold on to four more and says it intends to plant 95 new trees as part of the landscaping.
Security problems posed by erection of hoarding during the work influenced the decision to defer the project. However, the possibility of protests over tree-felling may also have had some bearing given that more than 30 European politicians and diplomats will be accompanied by international media.
The axe, or chainsaw blade, is expected to fall shortly after the presidency meeting.
In a separate development, Galway City Council has suspended work on felling trees in Salthill Park, after a petition by local residents. The local authority says it was removing damaged non-native macrocarpa trees and intended to replace them with long-lasting hollyoaks and sycamores. However, it also intended to remove a large Monterey Cypress which, it says, was attracting teenage "bush drinking" .
Ms Laura Brennan of Dalysfort Road, which overlooks the park, said new planting did not mean that existing trees had to be felled.
"This is a park enjoyed by everyone in Galway, and one of our few green spaces. These trees have survived storms and all sorts of weathering. If there is some bush drinking, culling trees will not address that, and that is a Garda issue," she said.
Mr Michael Burke of the council said he hoped to explain its position and listen to locals' views before proceeding.