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Galway Council Chamber "revamp" to cost €450,000

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  • 26-11-2014 3:27pm
    #1
    _Whimsical_
    Registered Users Posts: 7,955 ✭✭✭


    That's right, €450,000 to "revamp" the council chamber and ad a few extra chairs. €450,000 on one room. The initial estimate was an already ridiculous €150,000 but now the contract has been awarded it is €450,000.

    The excuse for the spend is to accommodate new members to the chamber and have seating for 39. Cllr James Charity is of the opinion that as they presently sit in a semi circle that extra chairs could have fitted inside the empty space of the semi circular with no need for an expansion or redecoration.

    I wonder how many families they could've housed or what essential services they'll skimp on providing for us while they lounge in luxurious surrounds for their weekly meetings.

    I really hope this doesn't go unnoticed by the public. I think it is outrageous and the council should feel a backlash for this one.

    http://connachttribune.ie/county-cllr-hits-out-at-revised-cost-of-chamber-revamp/


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    #2
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    The Council are unaccountable except perhaps to the Comptroller & Auditor General


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    #3
    _Whimsical_
    Registered Users Posts: 7,955 ✭✭✭_Whimsical_


    I know but still, I can't help feeling people should be shouting at them in the streets for this kind of behaviour. They could actually build 3 houses for that sum yet they chose to spend it on one room that the general public never really gets to use.
    I suppose they'll always feel unaccountable if people don't react at all to these kind of things. Maybe we get the council we deserve.


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    #4
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    Sternly worded letter to city manager is in order.
    Alternatively he will be sleeping on the street on 05 December..


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    #5
    _Whimsical_
    Registered Users Posts: 7,955 ✭✭✭_Whimsical_


    snubbleste wrote: »
    Sternly worded letter to city manager is in order.
    Alternatively he will be sleeping on the street on 05 December..

    Haha, don't tempt me... :D


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    #6
    johnnyk66
    Registered Users Posts: 91 ✭✭johnnyk66


    snubbleste wrote: »
    Sternly worded letter to city manager is in order.
    Alternatively he will be sleeping on the street on 05 December..

    what has city manager got to do with county council????


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    #7
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    A Galway County Council issue in the Galway City forum. It's easy to get confused perhaps.

    Of course Galway Co Co HQ is in the city, not far from Galway City Council offices.

    So that's two Local Government chambers next door to each other housing 57 elected members, for a total population of less than a quarter of a million people.

    And as we have seen time and time again, local councils are really just Montessori feeder schools for Dail Eireann.


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    #8
    Sniipe
    Registered Users Posts: 2,932 ✭✭✭Sniipe


    Any chance we could get a picture of what it looks like before the revamp? I wonder is it really time to spend this much money on one room.


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    #9
    serfboard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭serfboard


    The usual over-simplification rubbish from a Dail Eireann wannabe. You can explain plenty more of these kinds of missives from this individual from now until the next general election.

    This is the guy who saw no problem with both councils spending over 1 million on a strip of tramac out in Carnmore, and who, in fact, keeps banging on about it reckoning we need to spend more money on it and run it again as an "airport".

    What a Joke(r).


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    #10
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    I thought it was the much maligned City Council..how dare you mislead me OP!
    The City Council chamber upgrade only costs €115k


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    #11
    _Whimsical_
    Registered Users Posts: 7,955 ✭✭✭_Whimsical_


    This seems to be the only picture of the county council chamber that I can find online. I can't verify it's it myself but google says it is, it's from a website and labelled as the county council chamber. It's a pic from a time that 100 protestors descended on the chamber. If anyone thinks it's incorrect please say.

    Now bear in mind that this is it with 100 extra people in it and the "revamp" is so they can accomodate 9 extra councilors...
    Is there not loads of empty space in that room already??

    galway-septic.jpg

    Pic from this article : http://nohouseholdtax.org/protesters-occupy-galway-county-council-chamber/

    Lack of money for council projects does cause real suffering to people. Disabled people rely on grants from the council to make their homes adaptable with stairlifts and downstairs toilets etc. Every year applications have to be made for those schemes early because the money runs out and late applicants have to wait to apply again the following year. Lots of people are left in rotten situations because of lack of funding and then they throw away 450k like this! It seems criminally negligent use of public money.


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    #12
    _Whimsical_
    Registered Users Posts: 7,955 ✭✭✭_Whimsical_


    Councillor James Charity to launch high court action against plans to renovate Galway County Council.
    Seems the true figure will be closer to 500k as the 450k estimate didn't include vat.
    I really hope he is successful!

    http://connachttribune.ie/democracy-carries-too-heavy-a-price-for-galway-councillor-587/


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    #13
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    That picture is the chamber. It is a very large room, not sure what the plans involve but it does seem like a ludicrious sum. The entire center of the floor is a huge empty space and there's a large stage area to the left that's not pictured in that photo.


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    #14
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,723 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    _Whimsical_ wrote: »
    450k estimate didn't include vat.

    Neither should it when they'd be claiming a lot of that back.


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