Galway Environmental Alliance to hold local referendum on Eyre Square Trees

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday May 30, 2003 16:39 by Niall O Brolchain - Galway Environmental Alliance niallob at esatclear dot ie

Campaign starts on 1st June

The Galway Environmental Alliance (GEA) has fought long and hard to save the 90 mature trees which are still under threat in Eyre Square in Galway City centre.

Galway Environmental Alliance to hold local referendum on Eyre Square Trees

The Galway Environmental Alliance (GEA) has fought long and hard to save the 90 mature trees which are still under threat in Eyre Square in Galway City centre.

Despite the almost overwhelming public support that the GEA has received for its campaign (98%) to 'Save the Trees', Galway City Council is still persisting with its plans to chop them down.

Galway Environmental Alliance has thus decided to make a real effort to restore democracy in a way that is sadly lacking between elections and to hold a local referendum in Galway City.

There will be 7 polling stations across the City in Knocknacarra, Salthill, Westside, City Centre, Terryland, Mervue and Renmore.

Only people on the electoral register within Galway City will be entitled to vote.

The wording of the referendum is "That the Eyre Square Enhancement Scheme be amended to incorporate the existing trees".

"Our surveys have shown that 98% of people are against the plan to chop down the trees in Eyre Square and we really can't understand why the City Council continues to persist with this unpopular plan."

"We have decided to hold a well organised local referendum in June to give the people of Galway a real opportunity to voice their anger at the plan to chop down the trees. People are very annoyed that they haven't been listened to. We are going to give them a real chance to make their voices heard."

"As far as we are aware, this will be the first time that a local referendum on this scale will have been held in Ireland. People get very frustrated when local authorities act in ways that seem to be totally unrepresentative of the views of the people that they supposedly represent."

"We hope to set a precedent here and we are calling on community groups in Galway to get behind us and to support our referendum."