Homeowners in hell over fear of demolition

Householders facing the threat of losing their homes to pave the way for Galway’s proposed city ring road this week told an Oral Hearing into the plan how their lives had been turned into in a version of hell.

As the Bord Pleanála hearing entered its third week, it was the turn of those most affected by the €600 million development to get their chance to express their views.

One resident whose house is earmarked for demolition described how she has been living in a version of ‘Dante’s circle of hell’ for the last six years.

Deirdre Goggin argued that consultants should have chosen a route further north which would have resulted in the demolition of a handful of houses in poor quality lands, rather than the 54 which have a wrecking ball hanging over them.

The Ballindooley resident insisted that the project would have the most adverse impact of any road built in the country.

The hearing was later told that homes owned by Maura and Dermot O’Connell and Audrey and Sean Dineen in Truskey West, a kilometre north of Barna, would be 35 metres from the middle of the new road on which traffic would cross at roof level by their homes.

Ms O’Connell told the oral hearing that she received a letter in early February asking the family to withdraw their objection in exchange for Galway County Council committing to a number of measures in writing.

She said these commitments were non-detailed and vague and she regarded the letter as “unethical and manipulative in nature”.

Ms Dineen had also taken a call from a Council official who had also urged her to withdraw the family’s objection just before she was due to appear.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune – the only newspaper covering every day of the Oral Hearing into Galway’s proposed City Ring Road.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.