From this week’s Galway City Tribune – An internal disagreement within different departments at City Hall over road closures to facilitate hospitality businesses ‘back the West’, has derailed the plan ahead of its proposed launch this weekend.

Galway City Council had announced earlier this month it was closing roads in the West area, including at Dominick Street, Small Crane, Raven Terrace and William Street West.

The closures were planned to start today (Friday); the Small Crane a 24-hour closure; the others nightly until October 1.

But the Galway City Tribune has learned there was a difference of opinion within the Council over ‘health and safety’ concerns in terms of opening and closing the streets at 6pm and reopening them again at 11pm.  It related to who would carry out the closures – Council staff or workers and representatives of the pubs and restaurants.

The issue was understood to have been resolved following talks between several departments at City Hall this week. It also included the intervention of Chief Executive Brendan McGrath.

However, the Council stated last evening (Thursday) that: “Unfortunately the measures proposed for Galway’s Westend have been temporarily postponed.

“Following updated Health and Safety advice received by the City Council on the proposals, a technical problem has been raised that needs to be resolved. Despite best efforts, unfortunately this issue cannot be solved by this Friday and as a result the advice received is to postpone the closures temporarily.”
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the April 21 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.