Galway City Council approval of Mervue United lease raises concerns over precedent
Galway City Council has approved a new 35-year lease for Mervue United at a council meeting this month, but the move sparked concern among councillors that it could set a problematic precedent for other clubs seeking similar support.
Mervue United put in an application for Sports Capital Funding however, due to the time left on the current lease, they were deemed ineligible. The organisation was advised by council executives to request re-signing a new lease for the same term.
The club, which was founded in 1960, has been based at Fahy’s Field since the late 1980s. In 2000, the council granted it a 35-year lease on the all-weather grounds.
Board Chairman and Club Director Declan McDonnell told the Irish Independent: “When we went for a sports grant in 2023, we were granted €70,000 for improvement to the surface… When we were ready to go and do the works, which totalled in cost about €180,000, we contacted the Department of Tourism and Sport and they informed us that we only had ten years left on the lease, and therefore we could not be guaranteed the grant.”
Mr McDonnell is also a non-party Galway City councillor who was not present at the meeting.
Mervue United contributed more than €110,000 to the works itself. Within the 25 years it has held the lease, there’s been a near €4 million investment in the grounds of which the club contributed half.
However, under Sports Capital Funding rules, applicants must have at least 15 years remaining on their lease. The Department advised the club that without an extension, the grant could not be released.
The city council executive recommended that the club surrender the remaining 10 years of its current lease and enter into a fresh 35-year agreement.
Councillors broadly praised Mervue United’s contribution to the community, but some raised concerns about how the decision might be viewed by other sporting organisations.
Cllr Peter Keane questioned whether granting the lease could “show prejudice on the children” of other clubs that lack the same level of internal financial support. He said the case raised bigger questions about how the council manages the land it leases to sporting organisations, and what happens when gaps in funding or legal arrangements leave facilities inaccessible.
Some councillors argued for a month’s deferral to allow more information to be provided and a streamlined process created for handling future lease requests. But Director of Services Patrick Greene said the matter was time-sensitive: “The pressure point is on them to get the maintenance and repairs. The end of the month is the date Mervue needs this completed in order to trigger funds for the repairs. The lease would need to be renewed in the next two years anyway to resurface one of the pitches, estimated at €600,000.”
Cllr Keane called for copies of Mervue’s original lease and licences, while Cllr Alan Curran requested a list of all clubs with council leases.
Cllr Clodagh Higgins criticised the lack of detail available during the debate: “To come into the chamber and not have the details, a decision of this magnitude, is absolutely ridiculous.”
Cllr Donal Lyons backed a deferral, suggesting the council should consult widely with other clubs across Galway to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.
Cllr Keane warned: “We are going to set a precedent tonight that we are a council who leases their land to clubs.”
Chief executive Leonard Cleary acknowledged the need for consistency: “We will give a commitment that the Director of Operations will be available for engagement to discuss terms and conditions for the facilities,” he said. “But a club coming in needs to be talking about investments in a venture,” citing models in Galway’s twin cities in the United States.
After the vote, Mr McDonnell welcomed the outcome as recognition of the club’s long-standing efforts. “You have to be prepared to take out a lot and go for it, and that is what the club did. It’s a lot of hard work,” he said.
There are currently three clubs in Galway City holding long-term leases with the council, while many others operate under short-term licences for pitch use and bookings. Officials now expect further applications in light of Mervue United’s approval.