Members of Galway City Council this week called on national Government to reexamine the outdated funding model for local authorities, to reduce significant gaps in service delivery and public infrastructure across the Galway Metropolitan Area. The current funding model positions Galway City below every other local authority, urban and rural, in Ireland - despite the city being the largest urban centre in the Northern and Western region, a key driver of economic growth in the region and contributor to national GDP. Members highlighted a critical need for a re-examination of this status, and called for the introduction of a pilot Tourism Levy similar to other European city regions, to address shortfalls.