Serious infrastructural deficiencies in housing and transport are threatening indigenous industries in Galway – and foreign direct investment will be redirected elsewhere unless the problem is addressed.

That’s according to the leader of the city’s largest business representative group who said Government needed to act to address the imbalance in development between Galway and Dublin.

This comes as several businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors report difficulty finding staff – and one of the key challenges is a total lack of affordable accommodation for would-be workers.

The CEO of Galway Chamber, Karen Ronan, told the City Tribune that the organisation had been working tirelessly to lobby Government ahead of the publication of Budget 2026, and the finalised National Development Plan (NDP), to “invest in Galway’s ambition”.

“Our big issue is on infrastructure and housing – we need to be looking at practical ways to support increasing housing stock,” she said.

“The West has been forgotten about for too long. I met with Jack Chambers (Minister for Public Expenditure) and he said he was committed to addressing the inadequacy of funding for the West,” continued Ms Ronan, adding that Budget 2026 alongside the rollout of the new NDP had the potential to provide ‘light at the end of the tunnel’.

One opportunity which the Chamber has been highlighting, she said, was the potential to unlock accommodation by returning ‘over-the-shop’ units to use – but the current means of doing this was blighted by red tape.

Pictured: CEO of Galway Chamber, Karen Ronan