County Councillors have given their backing to major plans worth €62m to completely overhaul County Hall at prospect Hill.
It's necessitated by lack of space in the existing building, which was itself extensively upgraded around 25 years ago.
There'll be considerable public interest in this project, given the long-running controversy over a similar spend by Galway City Council for a new premises at Crown Square in Mervue.
But, in this case, Galway County Council is opting to do what the City Council found to be unfeasible - and that is an extensive retrofit and expansion of the existing building.
In both cases, the driving force is rapidly growing workforces, and having to rent external offices in a disjointed fashion for somewhere to put them.
At a presentation this afternoon, councillors were broadly welcoming of the project, though there were a few questions over the estimated costs and timelines.
Fine Gael Councillor Jimmy McClearn perhaps best capturing the mood - there really isn't a choice, because staff need the space and equipment to deliver public services.
But also agreeing that there's plenty reason to be apprehensive about the spend and how it's controlled.
In the end, what councillors have unanimously approved today is not a loan nor a green light for shovels in the ground - but their backing for it to proceed to the next stage of management and design.
At this stage it's too early to say when these works might possibility start - but it's expected they wouldn't be finished until 2031.
