Galway councillors have turned down a proposal to rezone a university-owned site to allow the relocation of one of the city's busiest secondary schools, following a three-hour meeting at which the mayor used her casting vote.
After councillors voted 7-7 on the issue of rezoning the land adjoining the main Clifden road at Dangan, with one abstention, Mayor Catherine Connolly (Labour) said she was obliged to oppose the change to the site, which has been earmarked as a new location for St Joseph's College (the "Bish").
Earlier, the councillors had voted 10-4 to rezone the current St Joseph's site at Nun's Island (with one abstention) to allow it to be used for residential purposes. The four Labour members were against the rezoning of the site, which has been the location of the school for over 125 years.
Councillors disclosed they had received correspondence from both sides in relation to the Dangan site, where residents are vehemently opposed to plans to convert parkland into a new school for the 880 pupils enrolled.
Concerns were raised also regarding an "11th-hour" letter from NUI Galway to the council this week, in which the college revealed that it had not sold the land to the school.
Ms Connolly said: "I could not see myself agreeing to change this site from recreational and amenity at this time. There's an obligation on us to look at what's best for the city and this rezoning is not justifiable."
The four Labour members were joined by the Green and Sinn Féin members in opposing the rezoning, with one Fine Gael member also in opposition. Mr John Connolly (FF) abstained, while the three FG, three PD, and one remaining FF members were in favour.
Ms Connolly said she had come under sustained pressure to support the change to the city development plan.
"I will not be supporting the rezoning despite the sustained pressure I've been put under.
"The Bish needs our support, but not in this manner. I won't be supporting this, personally. It's an extremely difficult decision for me, based on what I think is good for the city."
The director of services, Mr Ciarán Hayes, said one of the purposes of the draft city plan was to support the movement of schools from the city centre to more appropriate locations.