Upkeep of Murrough House costing €42,000 per year

The upkeep of Murrough House remains a considerable drain on the scarce financial resources of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

New figures reveal the institute is incurring costs in the order of €42,000 every year to maintain the Georgian house and 25 acres of surrounding land in Renmore.

Over the past two and a half years, costs of €106,000 were incurred to maintain the pile, which it purchased 12 years ago for €3.9 million.

GMIT, which is facing a financial crisis, confirmed it spent €44,000 in maintenance and upkeep of Murrough House and lands in 2014.

That included caretaking, energy, maintenance and one-off repairs at the building which has been dubbed a ‘White Elephant’ by staff in the college.

In 2015, it spent some €39,000 to upkeep and maintain the building and lands. And in the first six months of this year, January to June, the expenditure on Murrough House reached €23,000.

The figures were released to the Galway City Tribune under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).

Previously we reported how the building and lands drained almost €100,000 from GMIT’s resources during the height of the recession.

That included €54,000 in 2012 and €41,000 in 2013 for maintenance, upkeep and other costs including caretaking, energy, and one off repairs etcetera.

Jim Fennell, Financial Controller of GMIT who also manages its buildings and estate, said the expenditure on maintenance was necessary.

Last month, planners agreed to prepare a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Murrough, encompassing lands owned by GMIT, earmarked for a new sports campus.

Galway City Council also agreed to work with GMIT to achieve “safe and suitable” access to Murrough House and surrounding lands.

The agreement by the local authority to prepare an LAP, and work towards providing access to the site, could pave the way for GMIT to develop a sports campus fronting onto Galway Bay.

The third level institute’s plans to develop its lands out the Dublin Road, have been hampered by the lack of an area plan and restricted access.

Located between the Dublin-Galway main railway line and Galway Bay and only accessible from the sea or over an uncontrolled level crossing, Murrough House on 20 acres of land, was purchased by GMIT in 2004.

The house is a listed protected structure as are the level crossing gates. It has remained unused since it was purchased.

GMIT purchased nearby Murrough Lodge in 2013 for €50,000 to improve access to Murrough lands but the access crux remains an obstacle.

Earlier this year, GMIT made a submission to the City Council Development Plan regarding the site.

During the debate about the submission, City Council Chief Executive Brendan McGrath said Murrough lands were worth developing but he said the key limiting factor is the access