District chairman planning Dáil picket for more money

The new chair of the Athenry/Oranmore Municipal District plans to lead county councillors on a bus journey to Dublin – to picket Dáil Éireann for more money for Galway.

Liam Carroll (FG), voted in as Cathaoirleach at the latest MD meeting, said all 39 Galway County Councillors should hire a bus and travel to Dublin to protest outside of the Dáil.

He said the idea was suggested to him by a constituent, and he agreed “there is merit in that”.

Cllr Carroll said Galway County Council had the lowest funding of any local authority in the country per head of population and elected members needed to make their voices heard.

As well as seeking a larger funding pie for County Galway as a whole, Cllr Carroll said he would fight during his year in office for additional funding for the Athenry/Oranmore Municipal District, which also includes Claregalway.

He said that 25% of all new residential developments earmarked to take place in Galway over the term of the new County Development Plan to 2028, was planned for Athenry/Oranmore MD.

That means 4,750 new residential units out of 18,500 planned for the county will be in the Athenry/Oranmore MD and funding must reflect that.

“We get 8% of the roads budget but we have 20-25% of the population of the county,” he said.

Cllr James Charity (Ind) suggested Cllr Carroll meets with the chairs of all other MDs during budget negotiations to find a fair and equitable way of funding Athenry/Oranmore MD.

Cllr Jim Cuddy (Ind) said that the area produced 20% of the entire Local Property Tax take in County Galway but got a fraction of it back in LPT funding.

He said that all roads to Galway City go through the MD, and the way roads budgets are allocated by kilometres of road as opposed to how busy they were, was a disadvantage for Athenry/Oranmore MD.

As well as funding, Cllr Carroll said he would prioritise transport during his term as chair.

He would invite the heads of Bus Éireann, Irish Rail and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to address the chamber in the coming months on those organisations plans for better public transport services and infrastructure projects within the Municipal District.

Cllr Carroll was elected unopposed to the position and replaces his party colleague, Cllr David Collins, under a ruling pact between Fine Gael and Independents.

Cllr Gabe Cronnelly takes over the reins as Leas-Cathaoirleach from fellow Independent Cllr Charity.