Fears that city will be ‘left behind’ by merger

An expert group on local government reform has backed controversial proposals to merge Galway City and County Councils into one entity.

The recommendation for amalgamation of the local authorities “no later than 2021” requires ministerial and Oireachtas backing.

If approved, it would mean a combined merged new Galway Council membership of 57 Councillors (18 City Councillors and 39 County Councillors).

Critics of the proposed merger claim Galway city would be ‘left behind’, as city representatives would be outnumbered by public representatives from rural towns and villages.

Junior Minister for Local Government, John Paul Phelan said he would bring the proposals to government in the coming days.

The Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Galway effectively endorses a 2015 report by a Galway Local Government Committee, which unanimously recommended the establishment of a new unified Galway authority rather than boundary alteration or retention of the status quo.

It concluded that a merger would maximise the potential of the region to maintain, secure, and grow a sustainable economic base into the future, combining the respective strengths of the two existing authorities in terms of resources, staff, and expertise.

The six-person expert group included City Council CE, Brendan McGrath and County Council CE, Kevin Kelly.

The group has said nothing should happen to the Councils this side of the 2019 local elections, but the amalgamation should happen no later than 2021.  However, it said a ministerial decision should be taken on the recommendations and “be legislated for as a matter of urgency, to provide certainty.”

The members elected in 2019 to each local authority should combine to form the membership of the unified Galway City and County Council on the date of amalgamation, with the first elections to the unified authority to be held in 2024.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.