Galway City Council has hired an expert consultant to coordinate business, cultural and civic society activities after the sun goes down on Galway Bay.
The local government grade 7 management position was re-advertised with a starting salary of €55,000 during the summer. It is understood the individual appointed to the position comes from an arts background outside the public service, and her tenure begins “in the coming weeks”.
The new role will be fully funded by central rather than local government. A City Council spokeswoman declined to comment on the appointment as “it is still going through HR”.
The city council’s new Nighttime Economy Adviser’s role is not just to act as a focal point for the city’s nightlife, such as pubs, clubs, bars, venues, theatres and restaurants, but also to bring a broader range of voices together to plan successful nighttime zones in designated areas, including the city centre and Salthill.
It is envisaged the advisor will set-up consultation groups inviting bodies as broad as college student unions, promoters, emergency services, resident associations, charities and business groups.
With Galway city under the national media spotlight recently due to shocking viral videos of men fighting and using a car as a weapon in a city carpark recently, it is expected the new advisor will have an initial focus on security in the city centre after dark. This remit includes coordination amongst gardaí, local government staff and private security regarding the safe movement of large crowds at busy times.
Speaking to the Galway Advertiser, a number of publicans and restaurateurs welcomed the news, with one noting: “this was promised several years ago for Galway by [Minister Catherine Martin] and it’s taken ages to get going. We’re all wondering who it will be.”
City Tourism Officer Ruairí Lehmann explained the Nighttime Economy Adviser will be able to formalise and build on the networks established in Galway which have earned the city consistent Purple Flag awards by judges from the Association of Town and City Management since 2021. The Purple Flag is similar to blue flags for beaches, but rewards evening and nighttime environments.
