Festival row solved as council overcomes racing hurdle

PLANS for Galway City Council officials to attend the city’s famous racing festival turned out to be false starts — but following discussions yesterday some may be able to enjoy the ride.

Management at Galway City Hall informed staff they intended next Wednesday and Thursday to be normal working days — despite Galway Plate and Ladies Day taking place on those dates.

That flew in the face of an unwritten agreement that usually the offices closed at 11am on those days to allow staff the option of heading for the track.

Management said it could no longer allow the unofficial holidays because they were not included in the national wage agreement Towards 2016.

However, following intensive negotiations between council management and IMPACT, which represented workers, it was agreed City Hall will open throughout the races but arrangements will be made for a reduced staff on Wednesday and Thursday.

Some staff had already made arrangements to attend the Galway Races.

Both sides have agreed that arrangements relating to all provisions of the Towards 2016 action plan will be subject to full consultation with IMPACT.

IMPACT official Pádraig Mulligan said: “Our members are reasonable and hard-working people who are not seeking to take undue advantage of existing arrangements. Consultation is an appropriate manner to address any changes to existing practices, and we are more than happy to co-operate with that process.”