📝 Petition to Protect Our Green Space in Shantalla

Achainí chun Ár Spás Glas i Sean Talamh(old ground) a Chaomhnú

We, the residents of Shantalla and members of the wider Galway community, strongly oppose the Council Executives planned disposal of lands/ community park in Shantalla, to UHG for development.

We support better healthcare — but not at the cost of losing green space unnecessarily.

This green space is one of the last remaining public outdoor areas in our neighbourhood. It has been part of our community for generations — a vital place for children to play, neighbours to gather, and residents to enjoy fresh air and connection to nature.

The green space offers essential benefits for flood prevention and biodiversity — natural upland filtration and permeable surfaces that absorb rainfall, reducing the risk to our homes and local drainage systems.

Our petition echoes the principles of Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (2023–2030), fore worded by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, which calls for “whole-of-society” approaches to protect and restore nature, including in urban settings.

• We are not opposed to the development of our healthcare infrastructure. We respect and support the needs of UHG and the HSE. However, this must not come at the cost of permanently removing community assets that serve hundreds of residents daily.
  We call on Galway City Council and the HSE to:
• Halt the sale of public green space in Shantalla;
• Engage in transparent and meaningful discussion with the community;
• Explore alternative development solutions that meet hospital expansion needs while preserving vital green space;
• Work with residents to protect and develop this area into a proper public park — one that supports community well-being, provides a natural respite for hospital patients and staff, enhances biodiversity, promotes environmental resilience, and contributes to flood prevention.

President Michael D. Higgins, has spoken many times about our shared responsibility to safeguard the environment. He reminds us that we must be “custodians of the Earth, not exploiters.”

Ní féidir linn ár spás glas a chailliúint — tá sé lárnach dár bhfolláine agus dár bpobal.
(We cannot lose our green space — it is central to our well-being and our community.)

This petition is a call for collaboration, not confrontation. We seek a balanced, fair, forward-thinking solution that honours community, environmental, and healthcare needs.

🗓 Deadline: July 14th, 2025 — ahead of the Council vote.
✍️ Tá do shíniú tábhachtach — cosnaímis Sántala le chéile.

Your information will only be used for the purposes of this petition and will be handled in accordance with GDPR guidelines.