City Council Chief Executive Brendan McGrath has said he will use his emergency powers if necessary to build two controversial new Traveller halting sites on the western side of the city next year.
One of the ‘temporary’ hardstands will be built on Council-owned land behind Westside Shopping Centre opposite the astro turf pitch, while three sites are being looked at on the Ballymoneen Road in Knocknacarra for the second hardstand.
The Knocknacarra sites are on the Upper Ballymoneen Road – the first is at Keeraun on land purchased by the Council for housing at the height of the property boom for €11 million. The site is to the right of the road (when leaving Knocknacarra) close to the T-junction.
The second site is adjacent to the Maigh Búrca estate on land where 14 social houses are to be built next year. There is planning permission on the site for a total of 69 social housing units.
Director of Services for Housing, Tom Connell, told a City Council meeting that while Phase 1 (14 homes) of that site will go ahead, a hardstand could still be built on the land which is earmarked for the other 55 homes.
The third site is at Ballyburke to the right of the access roadway to the new Coláiste na Coiribe.
At a local authority meeting on Monday, angry councillors complained there has been no consultation on the matter.
Councillor Mike Cubbard told the Galway City Tribune that the first councillors heard about the plan was when they went into the Council chamber before the meeting and saw a one-page document on their desks.
Tom Connell wrote in the document: “The capacity situation that has now developed at the Cúl Trá site cannot be allowed to continue. The site is grossly overcrowded in the extend that health and safety concerns exist and accordingly in advance it is necessary to bring forward proposals to address the current unacceptable situation.”
It is also proposed to advance plans for the development of City Council-owned lands in Oranmore.
Mr Connell told the meeting that emergency issues highlighted in the fire safety report for Cúl Trá “should have been acted on years ago” – there are 18 families in a hardstand designed for six.
“We now have to go and look at our landbanks on the Ballymoneen Road, assess the most appropriate and bring forward proposals,” he said, adding that a similar proposal will be brought forward for land adjacent to the Westside Shopping Centre.
“Emergency health and safety issues at Cúl Trá have to be addressed. This report is to give you advance notice. There will be detailed consultations,” said Mr Connell.
Chief Executive Brendan McGrath said the matter will require “difficult and brave decisions”, but ultimately, he has the power to approve the plans, regardless of councillors’ opposition.
“We’re at a point where we’re running out of options. There is a housing crisis in Galway City. Ultimately, it will require difficult and brave decisions.
“I have the powers. That’s not the way I want to do business, but if I have to, I will. Whatever solutions are ultimately proposed, somebody won’t like them.
“I don’t want to have to use the emergency powers vested in me. I’m not one bit afraid to act, I will invoke those powers, but I would rather work with yourselves,” Mr McGrath told councillors.
Reacting at the meeting, Cllr Billy Cameron said he could not carry on in any debate on the matter because no maps of sites had been provided to councillors.
Cllr Donal Lyons said that in previous consultations, there was never any mention of a hardstand for the Ballymoneen Road, it was always “Traveller-specific group housing”.
“The consultation process is a sham. By opening further hardstands, we’re kicking the can down the road. Cúl Trá was supposed to be the solution.
“There are nearly 5,000 on the housing waiting list in the city. Social housing should be built on all Council land and Travellers should be accommodated in social housing.
“These [Keeraun] lands cost €11 million initially. Now part of the land will be taken by the N6 (new outer bypass) and part is landlocked, so you’re left with a very small area of land. For €11m.
“There has been no consultation with local residents, there are no maps here. It’s not good enough,” said Cllr Lyons.
Cllr Mike Cubbard said the crisis at Cúl Trá needed to be dealt with, but at public consultations and meetings with local area councillors, there was never any mention about the Westside area.
He said that six weeks ago, he asked Mr Connell if there were any plans for that site and he was told there weren’t.
“This won’t happen on the Westside site on my watch,” he said.
Cllr Padraig Conneely said: “The [Keeraun site] land at Ballymoneen cost €11m and now you want to put a temporary hardstand on it. I could not agree to that. You dropped this bombshell on us tonight in a one-page letter,” he said.
Cllr Niall McNelis said the matter was being pushed through very quickly, and queried what constituted ‘temporary’.
“The temporary site on the Curraghline is there six years – that’s not temporary to me,” he said.
Cllr Peter Keane queried if the Diocese wanted its land in Lower Salthill back.
Mr Connell replied that the Diocese had written to the Council, advising the 25-year lease on the Cúl Trá land is due to end in March 2019, and that the Council is not in compliance with terms of the lease, and how it proposes to ensure compliance.
He said the Council has replied to the Diocese advising it is aware of the issues and has asked for a meeting.
Cllr Cameron asked: “How can I or any other person put faith in the Director if this is the way he behaves? We’re not given the truth at committee meetings. It will be hard for me to attend them anymore. They need to be in public and transparent. Let us have openness and honesty which we’re not getting here.”
Mr Connell replied: “I don’t want it said that I treat members in a disrespectful way. There are serious health and safety issues at a site and I’m trying to look at solutions. We’re looking at an emergency situation – all sites have to be on the agenda.”
The matter will be discussed again at the next Council meeting on January 9.