Councillors losing patience over Menlo Castle

Date Published: 25-Nov-2008

SOME city councillors are getting impatient with a millionaire’s proposal to fund the refurbishment of Menlo Castle and have mooted that Galway City Council finance the project themselves.

Many were unhappy with Noel Smyth’s short letter to the City Manager in which he said he was uncertain about the legal status of the CPO involved in the project and needed clarification before he would go ahead with his proposal. That involves refurbishing the historical castle on the basis that he can retain a penthouse apartment for his personal use.

However, a number of councillors said last night that they were sick of the protracted negotiations surrounding the plans to refurbish the castle – some said discussions with the Galway native, Dublin based businessman started eight years ago – and suggested ploughing on without him.

Cllr. Mary Leahy proposed that rather than see the castle deteriorating any longer that the Council tackle the refurbishment as she believed in…