The importance of green spaces has been highlighted during a recent visit to Merlin Woods in County Galway.

Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus and colleague Mairéad Farrell TD met with the Friends of Merlin Woods group at Merlin Woods.

MEP MacManus said: "I was pleased to visit Merlin Woods recently alongside my colleague Mairéad Farrell and meet with Caroline and Colin from the Friends of Merlin Woods group.

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"The group do fantastic work maintaining the woodlands, the community garden, protecting biodiversity here, activities such as composting, making the woodland more accessible and managing the different species and habitats within it. 

"It is the largest area of woodland around Galway City and therefore is of high conservation importance. Over the years there have many threats to the future of the woodland with proposals for new roads and other kinds of developments that would destroy it.

"Green spaces like this in the middle of large urban areas are hugely important, as an amenity to the local community and for biodiversity within our cities, and they must be protected.

"I want to thank Caroline and Colin for having us and wish them continued success as they work to protect and develop this wonderful amenity."