In response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak and in accordance with the HSE guidelines, Galway City Council has put some restrictions on services in place.
In the interest of public health, Galway City Council is encouraging all customers to deal with us online or over the phone on 091 - 536400.
Galway City Council is working to ensure that cashflow is maintained to our Suppliers of Goods and Services and our payments to them are being processed on a regular basis.
Customer Services
All payments to Galway City Council can be made over the telephone – 091-536400 during office hours or online – www.galwaycity.ie . If you usually pay by cash here at our offices, please consider these alternative options now.
If you must call to City Hall with an essential query, Customer Services will deal with your query on a face to face basis. Response times may vary but all requests will be logged and dealt with in due course.
Housing
The Housing Counter will remain closed until further notice. Housing queries can be made via phone or email or post. Only URGENT face-to-face queries will be dealt with via Customer Services from 9:30am – 1pm by appointment only. In order to establish whether your query is urgent please e-mail Housing at [email protected] or telephone 091 536400. For all HAP queries, please email [email protected] only.
Information for Housing Tenants
Tenants who raise a maintenance request will receive a return call to facilitate such an assessment. They will be advised at that point with regard to the categorization of the issue and the level of response.
Critical issues include –Electrical faults / Plumbing issues / Heating systems faults / Significant building fabric or structural issues.
Consideration will be given to elderly and/or vulnerable tenants when response assessment is being carried out. This measure is being put in place to protect the health of tenants, staff and the wider community.
Galway City Council is encouraging all tenants to deal with the Housing Department by phone, post or email. If you usually pay your housing rent in cash through the Cash Office, please contact the Housing Department to make alternative arrangements.
If your income has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and you require a reassessment of your rent, please email [email protected] with your rent account details and a member of the Housing Rents team will be in touch.
Planning
The public counter for planning will remain closed until further notice. Planning queries can be made via phone or email. Face to face queries, file viewing and the payment of fees will be dealt with via Customer Service desk, however, it is advised to call in advance.
Recreation & Amenity
Allotments at Merlin and Westside, beaches, cemeteries, grass pitches, playgrounds, public parks, tennis courts and woodlands are all operating as normal. However, it is strongly advised to adhere to social distancing guidelines in these areas. It is also strongly advised that children do not use shared playground equipment.
Facilities currently closed
· All City Council facilities under licence arrangements
· All Weather Sports Facilities
· Boxing Club at Westside
· Community Centres at Cappagh, Renmore and Westside
· Dressing Rooms at Westside, South Park, Crestwood, Ballybane, Cappagh and the Plots Woodquay,
· Snooker Hall, South Park
· The Town Hall Theatre, Black Box Theatre and Galway City Museum will be closed until further notice.
· All Galway public libraries are closed. You can log on to http://galwaylibrary.ie to use online services completely free. inc. ebooks, audiobooks, newspapers, magazines.
· LeisureLand is also closed to the public.
Galway Volunteer Centre are actively working with anyone wishing to help out in the community. Register on their website www.volunteergalway.ie Environment and Climate Action
Litter Management, the Civic Amenity Site, St Nicholas Market, Dog Pound and Community Wardens are all currently operating as normal and will be reviewed on a daily basis.
Managing your waste
· Continue to present your waste for collection on your regular collection day unless advised otherwise by your waste collector
· Disinfect handles of bins before and after collection
· Wipes, cloths and gloves can be placed in your general waste bin/bag
· Do not flush wipes down the toilet
If self-isolating / quarantined
If self-isolating / quarantined, you will need to manage your waste as outlined by the HSE below:
Put all the waste that you have used, including tissues and masks, in a plastic rubbish bag. Tie the bag when it is about three-quarters full. Place the plastic bag in a second bin bag and tie the bag.
Treat all cleaning waste in the same way.
Do not put the rubbish bags out for collection for 72 hours. After that, the bags can be put out for collection in regular domestic waste.
Galway City Council’s response will be calm, determined and measured. All information here is accurate at the time of sending but is subject to change. Service updates will be published at www.galwaycity.ie/serviceupdates as well as our social media channels: https://www.facebook.com/GalwayCityCouncil and https://twitter.com/GalwayCityCo
All Galway City Council staff calling to premises have ID. Please ask to see this ID.
