Government TDs risk losing their seats at the next election unless Loughrea gets the zoning it needs to build community sports facility adjacent to the bypass, it was claimed this week.

Chair of the Loughrea Sports and Community Development Group, Mike Feerick said the turnout of over 1,000 people to a rally on a wet and windy Sunday morning shows the depth of feeling the lack of playing pitches in the town has generated.

There is no pitch for soccer, Gaelic football or camogie in a town with a population of over 6,500 in the town centre, with 3,000 living in the immediate hinterland.

“East Galway seats to the next Dail will be won or lost on this issue,” he insisted to the Connacht Tribune.

Minister Anne Rabbitte (FF) told the crowd that the Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Alan Dillon, had actively engaged with her over the zoning in the Loughrea Area Plan in the last few weeks.

The Fine Gael TD has issued a draft direction to Galway County Council to revert the Caheronaun land to agricultural zoning from ‘Community Facilities’ because the 45-acre site was outside the town boundary and had no active travel connections.

“He [Junior Minister Dillon] needs a letter from Galway County Council Chief Executive to say he’s willing to work with and he’s willing to adjust what they’ve proposed…That is all we’re looking for from Galway County Council, that he’s willing to adjust to ensure zoning could be taken into consideration for the usage of pitches,” she said.

Caption: Marchers making through way through Loughrea. Photo: Larry Morgan.

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