Democracy comes at too high a price for Galway Councillor

The huge cost of extending the Galway County Council chamber to accommodate an additional nine councillors has prompted a High Court challenge to prevent the work going ahead.

A member of the Council has informed The Connacht Tribune that he intends to stop the works because of the cost involved.

It will cost nearly half a million euro to extend the chamber of Galway County Council – to provide an additional nine chairs.

Earlier this week councillors were informed that there would be disruption to the Council while works were being carried out.

But they then learned to their horror that it was now costing in the region of €500,000 to accommodate an extra nine chairs.

Now Cllr. James Charity, a barrister by profession, intends to mount a legal challenge early next week.

In the aftermath of the budget meeting in which councillors were told that several roads improvements could not take place, it is not sitting well with elected members.

The expenditure has been described as being outrageous and it is claimed that this was money that could go towards road repairs or flood relief programmes.

It is been confirmed that the extension to the Council chamber has been awarded to Carey Building Contractors, Tuam Road, Galway.

The contract price is €449,268.47, excluding VAT. Works commenced this week with councillors and staff being told that there would be some disruption.

The Annaghdown councillor is annoyed that specific tender prices were not disclosed to the councillors, nor were the identity of those who tendered, prior to the contracts being signed.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.