Eyre Square branded "a dirty, filthy kip" by councillor
Galway City Council still owes a whopping €4.4 million on the controversial Eyre Square enhancement scheme which was completed a full decade ago.
The area was branded a “dirty, filthy kip” at a local authority meeting this week, as the Council’s Chief Executive was asked to take on the task personally to bring the park up to standard.
The local authority’s Head of Finance, Edel McCormack, told councillors that the Council is attempting to fund the outstanding debt from Development Contributions, which are payable by developers when construction begins on new projects.
When the contracts were signed for the revamp in 2004, the cost of the project was €6.3m – however a series of setbacks, including the contractors abandoning the site, saw the final cost rise to €15.3m.
In fact, when the project was first mooted in 1995, it was costed at £1m (€1.27m).
Cllr Padraig Conneely – the most vocal opponent of the project since its inception – said: “We still have a debt of €4.4m on Eyre Square. That’s an awful noose hanging on the Council for 12 years.
“You’re using Development Contributions in paying off this debt – how long more do you envisage it will be there?
“Development Contributions were always used for amenity uses, such as playgrounds and pitches.
“Look at it today. To think it cost [€15.3m] and the state of it. It wasn’t worth it. It’s supposed to be a real European plaza, but it’s a kip, dirty and filthy. Is there any shortcut way to eliminate the €4.4m?” asked Cllr Conneely.
For more on the Eyre Square debt, see this week's Galway City Tribune