The head of Galway City Council has said the local authority does not intend to act like “Big Brother” by introducing the hugely controversial new bylaws for open spaces and beaches.
And he has conceded that the eventual new rules introduced will be “significantly different” from the proposals which the Council drafted last year.
There has been uproar since the draft bylaws were first made public by the Galway City Tribune last September – with an online petition receiving more than 3,200 signatures and a hugely negative reaction on social media.
The Council has also received 371 formal submissions – the vast majority of which are critical of the proposals – from members of the public.
At a meeting of the Council, Chief Executive Brendan McGrath said the draft proposals were a “discussion document”.
“People reacted, saying ‘you’ve gone bananas, you’re being overly bureaucratic’. It was a discussion document. The best way is to put these things out for discussion and get the feedback.
“I’ve no doubt that the draft bylaws and what is agreed upon will be significantly different.
“It’s not like Galway City Council wants to become Big Brother. We’re not against playing football in a park. The bylaws have to get the balance right,” said Mr McGrath.
For more on the bylaws story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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