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Limerick tries to torpedo €200m Galway Port plans

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Limerick has launched an all-out bid to sink the €200 million Galway Port redevelopment project.

Pat O’Donovan, a Fine Gael TD for the Treaty City, launched a blistering attack on Galway Port and the Harbour Company this week at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport.

He has been accused of fighting a battle on behalf of Shannon Foynes Port Company, because it feels threatened by Galway’s expansion plans.

Galway Harbour Company CEO Eamonn Bradshaw said the TD launched into a tirade at the meeting on Wednesday, but left before a series of “inaccuracies” in his speech could be corrected.

And Galway West TD (and Deputy O’Donovan’s party colleague) Brian Walsh described the claims as “a blatant attempt to torpedo Galway’s plans” and that the operators of Shannon Foynes Port felt threatened.

Mr Bradshaw and the Galway Harbour Master, Captain Brian Sheridan, appeared before the Joint Committee to outline their plans for the redevelopment of the port and the requirement for its expansion, ahead of it being ‘handed over’ to Galway City Council.

Mr Bradshaw told the Galway City Tribune: “It was a real tirade against the Port of Galway. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the scheme whereby Galway City Council takes charge of the Port. We never mentioned Shannon Foynes. We concentrate on our own development.

“He launched into a tirade about how there should only be one Tier 1 port in Connacht. Shannon Foynes is part of Munster. He said the two ports would be 40 miles away. It’s actually 81 miles. There were a lot of inaccuracies.”

Deputy Walsh said he believes Shannon Foynes feels threatened by Galway’s plans.

“He said there is only need for one port on the West coast and that should be Shannon Foynes, and asked if the people of Galway wanted articulated trucks driving through Shop Street and Eyre Square.

“That’s just scaremongering. Galway is looking at an entirely different market – cruise ships, freight and developing with oil and gas exploration.”

For more on this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune

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