COUNCIL CHANGES ITS DECISION ON BALLYBANE LAND

Date Published: 13-Nov-2007

A controversial motion passed last month by Galway City Council to sell 1.3 acres of land in Ballybane was re-voted on at last nights city council meeting.

Last month the council agreed to sell the land in Ballybane to St Columbas Credit Union Enterprises for 71,000 euro with a 99 year lease attached.

The Council last night re-voted to sell the land OUTRIGHT to SCULL for 71,000 with one condition attached that they must only get a majority vote from the council if they wish to sell the land within 20 years.

The proposer of the new motion Councillor Mary Leahy says she believes SCULL are a charitable enterprise and will work to benefit the community in Ballybane.

She says the site is not tax-designated and not as valuable as some councillors are saying

Cllr Leahy says if the site is eventually sold on any profit made would be re-invested by SCULL in the area

However Councillor Daniel Callanan, who has had major problems with this transaction from the beginning, remains concerned that the land is not being secured in public ownership for the future