Environmentalists consider taking Council to Euro Commission

Environmentalist groups are considering taking Galway City Council to the European Commission over the feared erosion of green spaces in the city.
It follows claims that the local authority is ‘making a mockery’ of the recent awarded European Green Leaf Status by supporting the erosion of green spaces in the City Development Plan.
These include the sanctioning of a road through Terryland Forest Park and the decision to allow a new facility for Galway Hospice to be built at Merlin Park.
The Terryland Forest Park Alliance says there is a deep sense of anger and betrayal among thousands of local environmentalists who have dedicated countless hours to create woods, meadows, nature trails and other wildlife habitats.
The group says the recent appointment of a coordinator for the Green Leaf City means it is time to come together and work towards a green vision for the future.
However, activist Brendan Smyth says recent decisions at City Hall are a death sentence to some of the city’s major woodlands.
Mr Smyth says despite the setback, local environmental and community groups have come together to back Galway’s Green Leaf Status for 2017.