Cllr Donal Lyons has welcomed the news that the Galway City Council is seeking expressions of interest for the former tourist office site in Salthill.
The Galway City Council has this week advertised on E Tenders with Cllr Lyons satisfied with the development.
“It is now nearly 10 years since I first raised the issue and in the interim, I have been making ongoing representations on this issue as I feel that this site adjacent to the aquarium has great potential,” Cllr Lyons says.
“It ceased to be a tourist office a number of years ago, and as the site was leased to Ireland West Tourism by Galway City Council for the purposes of dispensing tourist information, I felt that it should revert back to Galway City Council as the office was not being staffed and was vacant.
“In May 2012, I forwarded the following Notice of Motion to the then city manager: ‘I request the city manager to arrange an urgent meeting with senior officials at Failte Ireland, seeking the immediate staffing of the Salthill Tourist Office for the coming holiday season and future holiday seasons, as the land was leased (for a nominal fee to the then Ireland West Tourism ) to promote tourism in Salthill and should Fáilte Ireland not accede or agree to this staffing request, that Galway City Council would immediately cancel the land lease agreement with Fáilte Ireland as the lease is not being honoured and arrange for the immediate transfer of the said land back to the ownership of Galway City Council.’
“In 2013, I was informed that Galway City Council would be seeking expressions of interest on the site. A proposal from the operator of Galway Atlantaquarium for the provision of a penquinarium on the site was considered to be compatible with the zoning on the lands which is zoned recreational and amenity. Fáilte Ireland has stated that this proposal would be a welcome addition to the existing tourism offering in Salthill.”
Cllr Lyons continued to seek further clarification. “In 2016, I was informed that Galway City Council has received confirmation from Fáilte Ireland that it no longer intended to staff the Salthill Tourist Office and that the state body had agreed to transfer the site where the office is located back to Galway City Council.
“In 2018 planning permission was sought to extend the existing aquarium to incorporate a purpose built Penguinarium comprising a penguin pool, beach areas, construction of enclosure wall with viewing apertures and external seating.
“In 2019, this planning application was refused by Galway City Council and a subsequent appeal to An Bord Pleanala was also refused.
“As a local public representative I have been very supportive of the Salthill Village business community initiatives in promoting Salthill as a tourist destination.
He concluded: “The site of the tourist office is in the heart of the Salthill village and I am delighted that Galway City Council is again looking for expressions of interest on the future use of the site.”
