When former president Mary Robinson was speaking about the horrific invasion of Ukraine on RTE’s Late Late Show last week, she reminded us that climate change hasn’t gone away. SOS Bearna is the name of a community group in Galway that certainly hasn’t forgotten either.
By last weekend, the group had collected over 1700 signatures in a community of over 2,000 in Barna village, opposing a proposal in the new Galway county development plan to permit building to within just 15 metres from the shoreline.
Not only does this take no account of sea-level rise, according to Green Party councillor and NUI Galway climate scientist Alastair McKinstry, who sought a setback of 50 metres, it also robs the community of long-promised plans for a cycleway or coastal park.
Barna in County Galway Photo: via Galway Tourism
SOS Bearna points out that it is not against development, but wishes to ensure promised green coastal space will be provided for in the new county development plan.
As residents also point out, Bearna’s existing sewage treatment system is under strain, and Irish Water was forced to respond to an overflow after the recent storms and heavy rain in February.
Wavelengths spoke to an SOS Barna delegation after it handed in a copy of its petition at Galway County Hall.
