Legality of air show questioned

Anti-war campaigners have questioned the legality of the Salthill Air Show, which is due to take place in Galway tomorrow.

The Galway Alliance Against War has claimed that the air show did not receive a planning licence from Galway City Council. However, the council said yesterday that neither planning permission nor an event licence was required for the event under current legislation.

A spokesman for Galway City Council told The Irish Times yesterday that the air show was not covered by Department of Environment regulations on outdoor events.

However, the council said that the organisers had a public air display permit, issued by the Irish Aviation Authority, and the local authority was also happy with the air show's operational safety and traffic management plans. The organisers of the air show were unavailable for comment.

The RAF's aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, is heading the line-up for this year's show, which also involves Irish, German and Dutch air forces.

The German Air Force Tornado aircraft will perform a display, while the Air Corps, Garda Air Support Unit, Army Parachute Display Team, Irish Coast Guard and Aer Arann are participating. The Naval Service patrol ship, the LE Ciara, will be anchored in the bay during the exhibition.

The Alliance against War says its legal opinion is that planning permission is required for the event. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, an event is described as "a public performance which takes place wholly or mainly in the open air or in a structure with no roof or a partial, temporary or retractable roof, a tent or similar temporary structure and which is comprised of music, dancing, displays of public entertainment or any activity of a like kind".

The alliance also objects to the presence of Tornado aircraft at the show. "The only purpose these aircraft have is to kill. Putting them on public display as a form of entertainment only glamorises war," Mr John Cunningham, a spokesman for the alliance, said in a statement.

Traffic congestion is anticipated in Salthill tomorrow, as the air show takes place on the same afternoon as the Connacht Senior Football Championship final in Pearse Stadium, while the Galway Film Fleadh also opens in the city.

Parking restrictions will be put in place and Salthill promenade will be closed to traffic before the start of the minor football championship final at noon. The air show will start at 3.30 p.m.