Michael D Higgins objects to 39 homes planned beside Galway home
Former Irish president Michael D Higgins and his family have objected to plans for 39 homes beside their Galway home, arguing that the development could worsen existing road safety problems. The dispute has drawn attention because Higgins previously called Ireland’s housing crisis a “great, great, great failure”, although the family say they are not opposed to building homes nearby.
The proposal would place two blocks of homes and a row of detached and semi-detached houses on Circular Road, effectively enclosing the family home in a horseshoe shape. Higgins says the local authority needlessly rezoned the land and prioritised development over road safety; his wife and three sons have also submitted objections. They are among 32 locals who have raised concerns about safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
- Higgins’s family objects to plans for 39 homes beside their Galway house.
- They cite road safety and land rezoning concerns.
- The family says it is not opposed to nearby housebuilding.
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Michael D Higgins is Ireland's former president, having served until late 2024. He and his family have objected to plans for 39 homes near their Galway residence, citing road safety concerns.
The proposed development would place two apartment blocks and rows of detached and semi-detached houses on Circular Road, effectively surrounding their home. Higgins, his wife and three sons are among 32 local residents who have raised concerns about the impact on road safety.
The case has drawn attention partly because Higgins previously called Ireland's housing shortage a "great, great, great failure". However, his family have stated they do not oppose housing development in principle, only expressing concerns about this particular scheme's location and effects.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ireland faces an acute housing shortage that Higgins himself has condemned as a profound failure. This proposal delivers 39 homes on zoned land, directly addressing that crisis. Whilst road safety deserves consideration, such concerns can typically be addressed through design modifications, traffic calming measures, or infrastructure improvements—they need not be grounds for rejecting housing supply altogether. Given the scale of Ireland's housing need, prioritising development on appropriately zoned sites is essential to solving a crisis affecting many families seeking homes.
The case against
Road safety is not a secondary consideration but a fundamental responsibility of planning authorities. Thirty-two residents have raised safety concerns about existing conditions on Circular Road, suggesting these are not isolated objections but systemic problems. Adding 39 homes to an area with documented safety issues, without first addressing the underlying infrastructure problems, irresponsibly prioritises housing numbers over the wellbeing of residents—existing and new. Proper planning requires that developments enhance or at least not compromise safety; this proposal appears to do the latter.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “After calling the housing crisis Ireland’s ‘great, great, great failure’ when president, Michael D Higgins is now caught in a row over 39 proposed houses being built right next to his Galway home – THIS is why…”.