Report on six bids for Galway Airport to be released ‘in due time’ as councillors seek clarity on sale proceeds
As Galway councillors await a report on the six bids for the future of Galway Airport, concerns have been once again raised over how any proceeds from the sale of the site would be divided between the councils.
A report on the six tenders in consideration to acquire the Galway Airport space is now being prepared by state agents, council officials confirmed at an Athenry-Oranmore area meeting in Galway County Hall this week.
Athenry-Oranmore councillors will be one of the first to hear the six cases for the “economic development” of the site in Carnmore which lies within the electoral area boundary.
A functioning commercial airport until 2011, the Galway Airport was jointly purchased by Galway County and City Council in 2013 for €1.1 million.
The airport was used as a Covid testing site as well as a high-profile concert venue in 2024.
Suggestions for the future of the 114-hectare site have ranged from an outdoor entertainment venue to a lady’s football training hub. A petition from January 2026 made a call to revert the site back to a function commercial airport, garnering over 3,000 signatures.
At this time, Galway Airport Flying Club leases the airport for €11,000 a month, which will be due up on December 24, 2026.
Due to “commercially sensitive information” and the active report being conducted, officials were quite vague in their latest update.
Once the report is complete, it will be brought before the chief executives of both local authorities in Galway, and subsequently, before the councillors for discussion.
In the Athenry meeting, Galway County Councillor David Collins looked ahead for when, or if, the site ever sells.
He raised concern over an uneven split of profits from the sale between the councils, and urged council officials to include a clause specifying a 50/50 split in the presented proposals.
“It’s not a divorce we are going through with the Galway City Council, that kind of talk shouldn’t be happening,” he said.
However, council officials quelled that fear saying there is “no special allocation” of the money should the land sell. The Section 183 decision to sell the land would be a full council decision of both local authorities.
The vote will come after previous briefing with elected representatives, with Athenry councillors leading conversation.
The report containing the specifications of the expressions of interest from the six tenders will be presented “in due time,” council officials said.