Galway City Council has won the Digital Services, Payments and Transactions Award at the 2026 Ireland eGovernment Awards for its innovative and inclusive approach to parking payments in Galway City.
The award recognises the Council’s transformation of its parking payment service, moving from a system primarily reliant on on-street pay-and-display machines to a flexible “Many Ways to Pay” model.
The Ireland eGovernment Awards celebrate excellence, innovation and creativity across Ireland’s public sector and are recognised as a benchmark for excellence in digital government services and standards. Now in their 23rd year, the awards also support the exchange of ideas among those leading changes in how technology and digitisation can deliver better public services.
Introduced for 2026, the Digital Services, Payments and Transactions category reflects the continued move to fully digital public services — where people can apply, pay and complete transactions quickly, securely and without friction. Galway City Council beat off stiff competition from Electric Ireland’s mobile app, Ireland’s Content Pool from Fáilte Ireland, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council certification platform, and the Health Insurance Authority Comparison Tool, to take the award west.
The 2026 Ireland eGovernment Leadership Summit and Awards took place on 24 September at UCD’s O’Reilly Hall in Belfield, Dublin, and was attended by Minister Jack Chambers TD.
Under Galway City Council’s new parking payment model, motorists can pay through the Galway City Parking app, online, by phone, or with cash or card at participating Payzone retailers. The service also allows motorists to pay in advance, top up their parking remotely, make a one-off payment or create an account. There is no additional charge for using the new payment service.
The project was developed following a comprehensive review of the Council’s parking payment and management systems. The review identified opportunities to improve customer choice and convenience while reducing operating and processing costs.
Patrick Greene, Director of Services, Galway City Council said about the win; “Winning this award is a welcome recognition of the work undertaken across Galway City Council to provide motorists with a more flexible, efficient and accessible parking payment service.
The aim of the project was not simply to introduce a new digital system, but to give people greater choice in how they pay. Customers can use the app, website or telephone service, while cash and in-person options remain available through participating Payzone retailers.
We are particularly proud of the learning resources and community workshops developed to help people use the new service with confidence. I would like to acknowledge the Council staff, community organisations, literacy partners and other stakeholders whose collaboration and commitment made this achievement possible.”
More than 103,000 motorists had used the new payment services by November 2025, having launched in the previous December (2024 ). In September 2025, 97% of the Council’s monthly parking transactions were made through the new payment methods.
The transition from parking machines is expected to deliver annual savings of more than €227,000. These savings arise from reduced equipment, maintenance, card-processing and cash-handling costs, representing a more efficient use of public funds.
Central to the project is Galway City Council’s “Digital Plus” approach, which combines the benefits of digital services with continued non-digital alternatives. This ensures that people who cannot or prefer not to use an app or website can continue to pay by phone or with cash or card at participating Payzone retailers.
To support the introduction of the new service, the Council worked with a literacy trainer to develop the “Parking Made Easy” Information and Learning Pack. More than 160 people have participated in free community workshops to date, supported by Council staff and local community organisations.
Galway City Council has also worked with GRETB, Age Action, Galway City Libraries, Galway Chamber, Fáilte Ireland and local business representatives to provide accessible information for residents and visitors. The National Adult Literacy Agency was engaged to review new parking signage and help ensure that information is clear and easy to understand.
Galway City Council will continue to develop its parking services with a focus on customer choice, accessibility, value for money and ensuring that no member of the public is left behind.
The Galway City Parking app and www.GalwayCityParking.ie is operated in partnership with ParkMagic and Payzone.
