News in brief from around the county.
Hospice unit to open today
The new state of the art Mayo Roscommon Hospice facility in Castlebar will be officially opened today, Friday October 18. The official opening will be carried out by Minister for Health Simon Harris TD at 1pm. The facility consists of a day care centre, community care facilities and a 14 bed patient unit for respite and end of life services.
Launch of the Mayo Children and Young People’s Plan
Mayo Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC ) will launch the Mayo Children and Young People’s Plan 2018-2020 on Wednesday, October 23 at the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough, Co Mayo. The plan, which consulted over 1,000 young people, parents and service providers across Mayo, is the first of its kind in Mayo and aims to improve services and supports for children and young people in the county. The event will be run in conjunction with young people from the Mayo Tusla Youth Advisory Group and Comhairle na nÓg, and senior representatives of partner organisations of Mayo CYPSC.
Connecting the Dots
In an outstanding new short film entitled 'Connecting the Dots', made by Mayo Director Lorcan Hynes, which is now available to view online, Cleveland Mayo Person of the Year 2019, Myles Gallagher, tells of his profound strength of connection and deep-rooted pride to his home in Mayo. Throughout the film, Myles connects the dots from his Mayo roots and how they have shaped his life in Cleveland, USA. The film received overwhelming reviews in the Irish Community in Cleveland and will resonate with the Mayo Diaspora far and wide. You can view the video at https://facebook.com/MayoDotIE/videos/451846199013809/ and https://twitter.com/MayoDotIE/status/1182574749660143616.
€22,500 approved to progress Helipad on Inishturk Island - Minister Ring
Michael Ring TD has welcomed the announcement that a grant of €22,500 has now been approved to Mayo County Council to progress the helipad on Inishturk Island. The funding will enable the local authority to progress design and planning for the site that has been identified. "I welcome this funding which should enable the Council to advance this project which will benefit the island community and the safety of emergency services staff", said Minister Ring.
N60 Brize to Mossbrook Road raised by Finn
At the October Mayo Councy Council meeting, Independent Councillor Richard Finn raised the issue of upgrading the last outstanding section of the N60 from Brize to Mossbrook Crossroads. In welcoming the proposed commencement of the section of road between Balla and Heathlawn, Cllr Finn stated that there will only be a short section of about one kilometer not upgraded. He requested Mayo County Council Chief Executive, Peter Hynes, to have this final section of the N60 included for funding after works have been completed at Heathlawn.
Funding of €844,700 approved for Kilmurry Group Water Scheme
Fine Gael Senator for Mayo, Michelle Mulherin, has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, that he has made a funding provision of €844,700 in the Rural Water Programme for construction of a new Group Water Scheme for Kilmurry. Following his decision she has contacted Mayo County Council, which has confirmed that it is to sign off on the tender approval immediately. Thereafter the local committee can appoint a contractor. Senator Mulherin said: "I am delighted to confirm that the end is in sight for the much-needed and long-anticipated group water scheme for Kilmurry, which will benefit about 80 houses in the community. The delivery of a clean water to the people of Kilmurry using the most up-to-date infrastructure is an issue for which I have been campaigning for a long time and I have raised it with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and his predecessors on a number of occasions and I am delighted that he has approved funding of €844, 700 to progress the scheme to construction. Mayo County Council will sign off on the tender approval in the next day or so and after that construction can commence once a contractor is appointed by the Kilmurry Group Water Scheme committee. When Clár funding for group water schemes was abolished by the government in 2009, Kilmurry scheme found itself unable to source monies due to its small size and, as a result, it could not progress to construction. I fought to have the rules changed, pressing the case with successive Ministers within whose remit this matter fell. This resulted in a change of rules in 2014 and 2015 which ultimately has allowed this new group water scheme to be delivered."
