Heated debate at City Hall over rental cost of Christmas Market

Galway Bay fm newsroom – There was heated debate at City Hall this week over the rent being charged for the Christmas Market at Eyre Square. Councillor Padraig Conneely claimed the small fee being charged for a full month use of a major public space is ‘an absolute disgrace'. It was revealed at this week's meeting of the local authority that the operators of the Christmas Market are being charged €10 thousand for the use of Eyre Square. Councillor Padraig Conneely claimed it's an outrageously paltry fee to charge a commerical, profit-making company for the extended use of a public space. He suggested the figure should be at least doubled with immediate effect. However, speaking in response, City CEO Brendan McGrath said the figure was arrived at by simply multiplying the daily rate of €250 charged to any applicant for the use of Eyre Square. He also added that it was crucial that people do not lose sight of the fact that the Christmas Market draws some half a million people to the city each year. More at 4