A Councillor in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District has told a fellow Mayo County Councillor to get his "facts right" and to "keep his nose out of the business of Claremorris" - following a meeting of the local Municipal District this week.
Independent councillor Richard Finn took aim at Westport based Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn this week, over comments Cllr Flynn made on local radio in recent weeks in relation to the number of parking tickets issued in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District compared to Westport.
Speaking at the meeting of the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District this week, Cllr Finn said: "In relation to litter control and pay and display in the Claremorris Municipal District, I want to refer back to statements made previously by a councillor in the Westport area, Cllr Peter Flynn, in relation to our work being done by our litter warden and traffic warden in the area.
"Cllr Flynn went on the airwaves to state different things, where Westport were found to be writing so many parking tickets and fines, and it was stated then that in Claremorris and Ballinrobe, we had only three.
"Now the comparisons between Westport with Ballinrobe and Claremorris and running down our local traffic warden and litter warden in local press, I take exception to this. It is totally unfair comparison that was made in relation to Westport versus Claremorris and Balinrobe.
"The first point I will make is that Castlebar, Ballina and Westport, each have three wardens on full time basis, two full time traffic/litter wardens and one full time litter warden. Westport has two full time traffic/litter wardens for Westport town only and they cover six days a week between them.
"The Claremorris Municipal District has one full time traffic/litter warden who has one third of the county to cover on his own. He works five days a week. Our lad is expected to do traffic duties, be in two towns and he is also expected to do litter duties in Claremorris, Ballinrobe and the whole of the Municipal District from Foxford to Ballyhaunis, Cong, Kilmaine, Shrule and cover the whole area. One man, one job.
"And then, councillors from other areas come along and refer to our traffic warden as sleeping on the job. Now our traffic warden, considering what I have said, he is not sleeping on the job and far from it.
"I am led to believe that our traffic warden has had 180 litter call-outs since Christmas up to last month. I'd say that has gone up to 200 since then. He is doing a good job and encouraging everybody to pay their parking and is under sever pressure for one person.
"Cllr Flynn should know these facts before he casts aspersions on employees of Mayo County Council, I would say that the councillors should investigate these matters fully before you go on the airwaves. I want to say to Cllr Flynn, unless he has his facts right, Cllr Flynn should keep his nose out of the business of Claremorris Municipal Area."
Cllr Finn received support from other councillors in the meeting including Fianna Fáil councillor John Caulfield, who said: "No councillor or staff in the Claremorris area needs any lessons from any councillors outside on how to run its affairs. I think it is deplorable that people in their jobs would be singled out."
