Protests are planned outside Galway City Hall tonight during Galway Corporation's meeting to finalise the development plan. The plan will chart the course of growth in Galway over the next five years.
The Labour Party's Galway Living City group has described as "appalling" the local authority's response to submissions from various groups. Almost 370 such submissions were lodged, but the group believes that the corporation has not replied, and does not intend to.
The group claims the opinions of many residents and organisations on issues such as unemployment black-spots, housing, amenities, cultural provision, and rezoning are being ignored.
Cairde na Gaillimhe and the Combined Western Residents' Association have also criticised the corporation's approach, and intend to participate in tonight's demonstration.
The Living City group is calling on the local authority to postpone a final vote until a promised land use and transport study is published and there has been an adequate and democratic response to submissions.
The corporation has stated on several occasions that it has provided for lengthy consultation on the details of the plan.
It hosted a public forum for residents' groups last year, and its officials have attended many such residents' meetings since.
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