Sixty claims for trips and falls on footpaths are pending against Galway City Council partly because of “shoddy workmanship” of State utilities, a meeting of the Council heard this week

Former Mayor, Frank Fahy (FG) said the Council was being sued, and had to pay out compensation to members of the public who injured themselves walking on footpaths damaged by utilities.

At the City Council meeting on Monday, he referenced “shoddy workmanship” of utilities, including Uisce Éireann, who are carrying out work on footpaths and leaving them in an awful state.

“Irish Water seem to operate with impunity,” he fumed, claiming the water company was “digging up a road” recently and “left it in a mess”.

In one case, the Council had resurfaced the area not long before it was dug up and left in a state, he said.

The Council was getting caught for public liability, with 60 claims for compensation from people who had tripped or fallen – and the local authority also had to pair for the footpaths to be repaired properly.

“If Joe Bloggs wants to get a road opened, they have to apply for a licence, but Irish Water seems to do what it likes. Where is our (Galway City Council’s) enforcement?” he asked.

Councillor Fahy said some €250,000 was secured in the 2025 Budget for footpaths but that would be gobbled up by repairs.

Director of Services Patrick Greene explained that Uisce Éireann did not need a road opening licence – or permission from the local authority – to dig up a road to carry out emergency repairs to leaks in the city’s water system.

Council Chief Executive Leonard Cleary said he had met with Uisce Éireann management earlier that day. And while he said the talks focused on a more strategic level, they had a ‘frank’ discussion, including around the inadequate communication and response from Uisce Éireann on the October bank holiday when businesses were without water for days.

Mr Greene said there was agreement to co-operate going forward.