An appeal to Galway City Council to abandon the controversial refurbishment of Eyre Square in favour of an enclosed green park is expected to be debated by the local authority tonight.
City manager Joe McGrath will also respond to a series of questions lodged by councillors over the €9 million project, which was suspended when Samuel Kingston Construction Ltd, the main contractor on the refurbishment, walked off the site late last month.
It subsequently emerged that the owner of the construction firm had been issued with a default notice by Pembrokeshire Housing Association in Wales over unfinished work on a contract.
Business and tourism representatives have welcomed confirmation this week that emergency works have been completed in the city-centre square, including securing the site, cleaning it up and erecting a "more presentable" hoarding.
Mr McGrath said work was "advancing" towards the next phase, which involved appointing a new company to finish the project.
The city is currently hosting the second week of its annual arts festival and bracing itself for an influx of visitors for Galway race week which starts next Monday.
However, former mayor Cllr Catherine Connolly (Lab) has appealed to the city council to allow the square to become an enclosed green park. This would be the least disruptive and least costly solution to the problem, she said this week.
About 5,000 people have signed a petition supporting this solution, which was conducted on a non-political party basis, she said.