An Taisce is urging caution over plans to erect more safety barriers closing off Galway’s waterways.
The planning watchdog said safety issues are important but barriers that are injurious to the city’s historical aspects and views will be resisted.
“It is a balancing act,” said Derrick Hambleton, chairman of An Taisce, Galway Association.
“There is obviously a need for safety barriers in some areas of the city, possibly at Spanish Arch due to the increase in people using it but it is the appropriateness of those barriers that would be of concern.
“Galway is a historical, medieval city and you don’t want to be needlessly destroying the public access to historic aspects and views that have been enjoyed by visitors and Galwegians for many decades.
“Obviously issues of public safety are important. The recent upsurge of tragic events involving young people entering the water is one which undoubtedly needs to be addressed. Why is this happening now? And will erecting fences all around our historic waterways, prevent such tragic events happening in future?”
The issue, highlighted in the Galway City Tribune last week, after City Councillor Niall McNelis called for an audit of the city’s waterways, and for safety barriers to be installed if necessary, was raised at a Planning SPC meeting at City Hall on Tuesday.
Mr Hambleton said the Grand Canal Docks area in Dublin doesn’t have barriers up, “and we don’t hear on the news of people falling in or jumping in around there”.
The SPC meeting heard that glass barriers, which would double-up as flood protection measures, should be considered for the Spanish Arch area.
They were in use in Limerick and Waterford, said Mr Hambleton, and are less injurious to historic views and access to waterways.
Mr Hambleton also pointed out that barriers may not be the answers: “If there are no barriers, people tend to be more careful whereas barriers might give a false sense of security.”
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