The Galway Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Government, and in particular the Minister of State for Local Government & Planning, to urgently review and upgrade the tier-level status of Galway City Council (currently Tier 5 ) to Tier 4 or higher. National funding allocations do not reflect the scale, growth and cost pressures facing Galway City and its business community.
“This change is not about status for its own sake, it’s about ensuring the city has the resources it needs to properly support small and medium-sized enterprises in Galway,” said Karen Ronan, Chief Executive of Galway Chamber.
“Without an adjustment to the funding model, Galway’s local authority becomes overly reliant on commercial rates, parking income and other user charges which passes the risk onto local businesses already facing rising costs of doing business, auto-enrolment burdens, inflation, and the challenge of maintaining competitiveness,” she said.
Galway Chamber asserts that retaining Galway City Council at the lowest tier of national local authority funding is to the detriment of the broader regional economy. As a region-serving city with a substantial student and commuter population, and an international visitor economy, Ms Ronan feels Galway requires a funding model that matches its function, not just its official size.
“Upgrading the tier level would send a signal to business and investment markets that Galway is being equipped for the future. It would help ease the burden on small business owners by reducing reliance on locally generated revenue and enable the council to invest in infrastructure, transport, marketing initiatives and upgrades to amenities that businesses and communities alike rely on,” she said, adding that Galway Chamber urges the Government to commit to a timeline for the tier review, publish the impact assessment for Galway, and work in partnership with local stakeholders to ensure the city is equipped to deliver on its regional growth and business development potential.
