Galway City Council is pleased to announce the establishment of its new EU Project Unit - a strategic initiative designed to strengthen the organisation’s engagement with European Union funding opportunities and to enhance cross-departmental collaboration on EU‑supported initiatives.
Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Mike Cubbard said, “I’m delighted to welcome the establishment of this new EU Project Unit in Galway City Council. As a young, creative and vibrant city with a strong med tech cluster, an emerging ICT cluster, and two world-class universities, Galway City is well positioned to go after significant EU funding streams to support economic growth, regional development and innovation in the city. There are also potential opportunities to support education and research, so I very much welcome this new unit and the potential opportunities it can unlock for the city”.
The new Unit will play a central role in coordinating Galway City Council’s participation in EU-funded programmes, supporting departments to identify relevant calls, and assisting in the development of high-quality project applications. Its core functions include:
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Coordinating Galway City Council’s involvement in EU-funded projects across all directorates
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Supporting departments in identifying appropriate EU programmes and calls aligned with organisational priorities
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Assisting with project design, application development and international partner engagement
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Tracking, monitoring, and reporting on all EU project activity within the organisation
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Facilitating organisation-wide collaboration, learning, and knowledge sharing on EU initiatives.
In addition, for 2026 the Unit will support Galway City Council’s contribution to Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union, providing coordination and practical assistance for related events and activities. This will help ensure alignment across the organisation and maximise opportunities for departmental participation.
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive, Galway City Council said, “This initiative reflects Galway City Council’s commitment to advancing strategic collaboration, securing external funding, and delivering innovative projects that benefit the city and its communities. Recent projects attracting EU funding in Galway City include: renovation of the existing Nun’s Island Theatre and refurbishment of the vacant Church House to the rear of site under THRIVE Funding; the NITIES interregional approach to managing the night-time economies across the EU, as part of Interreg Europe; the URBACT CALL – Accessible Cities for All Network, focusing on integrating accessibility into urban planning, mobility and public spaces; the Interreg SLOWTOUR project, focused on unlocking heritage opportunities for slow tourism; Droichead an Dóchais pedestrian and cycle bridge, and the forthcoming WATERWAY project, which will revitalise the city’s historic canals as a source of clean energy, education, and public engagement. This new unit will ensure we can access support, collaboration and engagement with our European partners and funding agencies, to deliver similar, highly impactful initiatives in Galway City.”
The EU Project Unit is based within the Economic Development Department and is staffed by Carol Durcan and Helen Keane, EU Project Coordinators, working under the leadership of Caitriona Morgan.
Together, the team will work collaboratively across all Council departments to provide guidance, coordination, and administrative support for EU-funded initiatives.