The €1.1 million purchase of the Galway Airport site is likely to be delayed for a number of months while Galway City and County councils carry out a feasibility study.
City manager Brendan McGrath told councillors at Monday’s meeting of Galway City Council that the “formalities of purchasing the airport site are unlikely to be completed for a number of months”.
It is understood that the feasibility study is to be carried out in order to properly assess the future of the site at Carnmore and to include consultations with stakeholders. Mr McGrath, along with county manager Martina Maloney, has held discussions with a number of stakeholders such as the Galway Flying Club and Skydive Ireland, and these are likely to conclude before Christmas with a report being presented to the council in January. Mr McGrath explained that these discussion are to ensure that such stakeholders are accommodated.
Fianna Fail councillor Peter Keane then asked Mr McGrath to give a guarantee that the airport’s aviation licence will not be lost and given back to the Department in the meantime. However Mr McGrath replied that he could not give such a guarantee as the council does not own the site yet.
Labour councillor Tom Costello enquired if the council was still the proposed purchaser to which Mr McGrath replied: “What Galway city and county councils agreed was the purchase of the site subject to contract/contract denied. If we are minded to put our name on a contract then the councils must carry out due dilligence to protect public funds. The feasibility study has to be conducted. It is my expectation it will take a number of months to finalise.”
