The former tourist office in Salthill will continue to lie empty for some time yet, as the Galway City Council has to carry out a safety audit before a new round of expressions of interest for use of the building can be offered.
Independent Galway West TD, Catherine Connolly, said she was “disappointed” by the situation, and asked why the local authority had not carried out the safety audit already. The office has not been in use for around a decade.
Dep Connolly said she felt matters were “finally progressing” when the council confirmed, towards the end of 2020, that it was inviting expressions of interest for the use of the building. That process did take place, but the interview panel held that none of the applicants were suitable.
It was confirmed at the end of April that another round of expressions of interest would open. However, a safety audit is currently being undertaken by the council, and this has delayed the process.
Community groups and organisations
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“While I accept the safety audit is necessary,” said Dep Connolly, “it is very difficult to understand how this was not carried out before expressions of interest were sought. It is unacceptable to have a building open for so long.”
Dep Connolly has called for the new round of expressions of interest to proceed “as quickly and as efficiently as possible”, and noted there were numerous community groups and organisations “crying out for a premises”.
She said any proposed scoring system used in the expressions of interest process “must give weight to community organisations” and that the interview panel must include representatives from the community and voluntary sector.
