More than a quarter of Galway City Council’s identified property, including land, are not registered as being owned by the local authority — 16 years after City Hall started a registration of title exercise.

The Local Government Auditor, Mary Keaney has urged the City Council to act swiftly to “safeguard” its property interests.

The warning comes in the latest Local Government Audit, which highlighted ongoing issues with the registration of title of Galway City Council property, including land and building assets.

As of September 2025, an estimated 72% of the Council’s land and building assets were registered with Tailte Éireann in the name of the Council.

This position was unchanged from the 2023 audit report indicating no progress was made in a year —– and 28% of the Council’s assets remain unregistered.

“Work remains ongoing in relation to the registration of title of all remaining assets, with 26 properties currently undergoing first registration.

“Some 89 properties have been identified as unregistered, with a further 51 properties currently registered to third parties according to Tailte Éireann records,” the 2024 audit report into Galway City Council said.

Ms Keaney’s report, published last Friday, noted that the exercise of registering properties in the City Council’s name has been ongoing since 2009.

“Despite this, 28% of the Council’s identified property remains unregistered to date,” it said.

The exercise of “ensuring that all of these assets are properly recorded in the Council’s own registers”, including its Fixed Asset Register (FAR) also “remains outstanding”, the auditor found.

“The FAR has not been appropriately updated to date, as not all of the data resulting from the registrations that have taken place has been furnished to the Finance Section to enable this exercise to be completed,” it said.

The auditor said additional resources had not been ring-fenced to complete the registrations of title of Council property.

“It is imperative that all outstanding registrations are brought to a prompt conclusion to safeguard the Council’s interest in these properties. It is important that all Council properties are accurately recorded in the Council’s own registers.

“The Council also need to introduce up-to-date policies and procedures governing the acquisition and disposal of fixed assets. I was previously advised that these documents were drafted, but they have not yet been adopted. Policies and procedures are vital to ensure consistency of treatment throughout the Council and to ensure that the FAR records are accurate,” auditor Mary Keaney said.

Up until 2001, management of the Council’s fixed assets was controlled by a single section within City Hall.

The auditor returning to that system, “could enable the more efficient management of all Council property” and allow for a “consistent approach” to all fixed assets.

“I recommend that the Council needs to review the adequacy and the suitability of the resources and the structures that are currently in place. Management needs to determine if these are meeting the objective of managing and protecting the Council’s entire fixed asset portfolio within acceptable deadlines,” she said.

Chief Executive Leonard Cleary agreed to a review to decide “how best to manage the fixed asset portfolio”.

He said resources had been directed into a new corporate assets team, responsible for managing the Council’s land and property portfolio.

Mr Cleary said registration of title of multiple assets was “ongoing” with a focus on priority sites in recreation and amenity.

“Monthly meetings have re-commenced with our legal agents, to advance this project,” he added.

Pictured: Galway City Hall