Almost 80 activists opposing the slaughter and starvation of Palestinians greeted Taoiseach Micheál Martin as he unveiled the €550 million Crown Square development in Mervue last Friday afternoon.
There was a heavy Garda presence marshalling drum-beating protestors at the city’s new 12 acre district, as Mayor Peter Keane welcomed An Taoiseach, government officials, local politicians, members of the Rhatigan family whose firm bought and developed the site, and other dignitaries, to launch the 177-bed Radisson Red Hotel on Joyces Road, which bounds the western end of Crown Square lying between the Monivea Road and Eircom’s Mervue campus.
The taoiseach laid a foundation stone for 345 homes to be built in the third phase of the new neighbourhood: 310 will be cost rental, with 35 allocated to social housing. Built in conjunction with the Land Development Agency (LDA ), these will be 86 one-bed, 240 two-bed, and 19 three-bed apartments.
Martin visited two firms which recently moved into office blocks completed in the first phase of Crown Square. These are Trinzo, a med sector consultancy employing 70, and semi-conductor software specialists Arm, where the Taoiseach played table football in the 90-strong firm’s new ‘social room’.
Martin described the location of Galway City Council’s proposed new headquarters in Crown Square’s phase one as “impressive”, while Rhatigan Group chairman Padraic Rhattigan confirmed Uisce Éireann’s new regional headquarters will be nextdoor to Galway's new City Hall.
Galway city council officials attending the event said staff feedback on the move from College Road was positive, with “pages and pages” of suggestions to be fed into the four-storey building’s fit-out design.
The ground floor will include a double-height foyer public space, and a council chamber laid in a horseshoe shape, with a top table for departmental directors. Two storeys of offices with spectacular views will be capped by a top-floor staff canteen, and the city manager’s office.
Speaking to the Advertiser, Martin said he intended to meet with Galway City Council in coming months to discuss escalating the funding status of the local authority to a Tier 4 city. Increasing the tier status would entail 20 per cent more funding from central government for the local authority.
“Of course, it’s difficult for the Minister for Environment [Darragh O’Brien] and the Minister for Housing and Local Government [James Browne] because many local authorities have their arguments about their funding base. But I’ve heard the Galway argument; it’s a strong argument, and I think it is something we can work with,” he said.
Martin confirmed his government is positive about funding a Preferred Route Study for light rail in Galway city, after he launched a public consultation for light rail route choices in his native Cork last month, despite the National Planning Framework (NPF ) containing no mention of Gluas route appraisal for Galway city.
“The NPF is ‘passed’, and [Gluas] doesn’t necessarily have to be in that,” said Martin. Asked whether Galwegians should expect light rail route analysis funding in the revised National Development Plan (NDP ), expected in July, Martin said that was “a matter he would look at, as a lot of work has yet to go in to it”.
Congestion
“I think the priority for [government] is the ring road. The congestion in Galway is extreme, and – again – it’s dragged on far too long. In my view, there have been too many legal obstacles,” he said.
A revised N6 Galway Ring Road planning application, first submitted in 2018, is currently being assessed by an Bord Plenala after the High Court allowed separate judicial review proceedings to be initiated by the Galway Races and Friends of the Irish Environment. The court remitted a green light for the road back to ABP after it found its approval violated the 2021 Climate Action Plan.
Most observers expect the revised planning application, modified to include the government’s latest climate targets, will be subject to a public consultation process in the coming months, including a second oral hearing.
In a short speech to 250 invited guests at the hotel’s opening, Martin said he had met with Galway’s city and county managers. He said his government’s priorities tallied with Galway’s priorities, including housing, water infrastructure, the electricity grid, road, and rail.
In strong comments responding to issues raised by the protestors outside Crown Square, Martin condemned the current blockade of Gaza as “a war crime” after the UN labelled it ‘the hungriest place on Earth,’ and called for more international pressure on Israel.
He denied media speculation that Shannon Airport is being used by US military flights to the Middle East.
“Irish airports are not being used. There’s absolutely no evidence to support that,” he said.
“However there is a long-standing practice where charter flights that land in Shannon [transporting] US troops do so without ammunition on board. We have long-standing and pretty friendly relations with the US. They have observed our regulations and have been upfront, irrespective of these allegations,” he told reporters.
