With a large workload being placed on Mayo County Council outdoor staff to repair damage caused during the recent cold snap, the members of the Ballina electoral area expressed their anger that the council is not allowed to replace retiring staff. The issue was raised by Fine Gael Councillor Eddie Staunton. “I recently attended a retirement function in Crossmolina where four members of the outdoor staff in this area had retired,” Cllr Staunton told the meeting. “Unfortunately another member of the outdoor staff has also died recently. That is five outdoor staff that this council are not allowed to replace. How can the council be expected to provide the services to the people if they are five people down on where they were last year?”
Independent Cllr Gerry Ginty agreed with Cllr Staunton on the issue. “I’d like to thank all the staff in the council who did their very best with limited resources recently,” Cllr Ginty said. “What I find very hard to deal with is the fact that we can’t get four or five men replaced. There are a lot of people who are dying to work, with the current unemployment situation. The cost to the exchequer to have these people out working compared to paying them to sit at home on the dole is negligible. We should write to the Minister about this issue.” Cllr Ginty’s motion to write to the Minister was seconded by Fianna Fáil Cllr Annie May Reape.
