Galway 'bed tax' among proposals in plan to reshape local government

‘It will change local government as we know it’

Published 14th Aug 2026, 22:27 BST Tourists around Galway city | Iconic ‘It will change local government as we know it’ Sign up to our Connacht Tribune Today daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Connacht Tribune within your account.

Local authorities could be given the power to introduce an opt-in levy on overnight stays, or a 'bed tax', under a package of reforms that supporters say would hand more power to elected councillors .

The proposed levy is among a series of recommendations in the Government's Local Democracy Taskforce Report.

The recommendations will be introduced in phases between 2026 and 2029 with implications for both Galway City and County Councils.

However, many of the main changes will require legislation before they can take effect.

Fine Gael County Cllr Jimmy McClearn, who sat on the taskforce, said the proposals represented the biggest shake-up of local government in years.

"It will change the interaction between the Executive and the members. Everyone here will have called government departments at many times and had little or no response. We need access to Ministers and Department Officials."

Among the proposals are enhanced powers and budgets for Municipal Councils and expanded responsibilities for Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs).

New oversight committees would also be established to strengthen councillors' scrutiny of chief executives and senior management, while councils would be given greater financial autonomy through new funding streams and a stronger say over how locally generated revenue is used.

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At a recent meeting of Galway County Council , Chief Executive Liam Conneally said the detail of the proposals would have to be examined once primary legislation had been enacted.

He said the council would "be keeping an eye on it" and would be "happy to answer questions in due course."

Fianna Gael Cllr Michael 'Moegie' Maher said councillors were "constantly looking for more powers in this Chamber" and that the report presented an opportunity to "change what we have".

Cllr Mary Hoade (FF) also said the proposals would "change the face of local government", while noting primary legislation would be required before the recommendations could take effect.

Independent Cllr Martin McNamara questioned how much additional funding would be needed to deliver the proposals, asking about "the cost of this ambition".

Mr Conneally said implementing the reforms would require extra staffing, administrative support and technical expertise.

"There will be additional staffing, enhanced administrative support,” he said.

“We will require greater technical capacity and significant transfers from the centre," he said.

The item will be put on the main agenda for a future meeting of Galway County Council for further discussion and analysis.