Galway’s city centre ‘ghetto’

Date Published: {J}

A syndicate of leading city developers has been warned to carry out maintenance to a number of properties that have fallen into disrepair, turning a city centre street into a “litter-strewn ghetto” and a “haven for underage drinking”.

Galway City Council has contacted representatives of the four local property magnates behind the Odeon Syndicate following complaints of littering, graffiti and anti-social behaviour at St Patrick’s Avenue on the east side of Eyre Square.

Several of the townhouses on the little street have been bought by the property company with a view to forming part of a major development incorporating the adjoining Odeon House and O’Connell’s Bar. Odeon House in understood to have been acquired by the syndicate for €10 million in 2006, while O’Connell’s Bar cost almost €15 million later that year.

The townhouses have been allowed to fall into disrepair and littering, graffiti and underage drinking is now rife in the largely vacant side street, according to residents.

“It has become a litter-strewn ghetto just yards away from the centrepiece of the city,” said one local. “Derelict houses are covered with graffiti and I no longer feel safe going outside my door at night time. At weekends it is a haven for underage drinking,” he added.

The City Council has now contacted the owners of the properties and warned them that action must be taken to improve the condition of the derelict buildings.

For more, read page 7 of this week’s City Tribune.