Galway Bay fm newsroom - The county council's consultants have been grilled on the proposed ring road's impact on flora and fauna, at today's session of the oral hearing
The session has been informed that additional Peregrine Falcon nesting boxes will be installed at Lackagh Quarry.
The extra nesting boxes are part of a number of enhanced mitigation measures which were presented today by representatives from ARUP consultants.
At this morning's session, representatives from ARUP consultant addressed the hearing in relation to a number of queries that were put to the applicant - Galway County Council.
These related to issues including the impact on bird habitats and habitat creation.
Following a presentation, last month, from the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the potential impact on Peregrine Falcons, the following enhanced mitigation measures have been included by ARUP.
Artificial nest boxes will be installed at each of the two former nest sites in Lackagh Quarry and both will be provided in accordance with the design requirements set out by BirdWatch Ireland.
The use of the artificial nest sites will also be monitored during the operation of the proposed road development for a period of three years.
The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht queried whether the proposed road would result in a net loss or gain in Barn Owl foraging habitat at Menlo Castle.
ARUP biodiversity expert Aebhin Cawley, told the hearing that an estimated 9.9 hectares will be lost, however, 11.7 hectares will be created to counteract the damage caused.
The Department also asked for confirmation of the applicant's commitment to managing mitigation measures.
In response, Galway County Council has stated that it will ensure that monitoring will be used to inform long-term ecological mitigation and that during operation it will engage the services of a suitable contractor to monitor the ecological mitigation for the lifetime of the project.
The hearing continues this afternoon.
