Fine Gael Mayo senator, Paddy Burke, has asked the Minister for the Office of Public Works (OPW ), to prioritise work on Castlebar’s three lakes to make them more accessible. “Castlebar’s three lakes, Lough Lannagh, Bilberry, and Islandeady are joined together by two small canals which are badly in need of clearing and widening. Such works would be of major benefit to Castlebar tourism and help the fishing and leisure industries for whom ease of access to these lakes is hugely important," said Sen Burke this week.
He added: “I have written to the Minister for the Office of Public Works, Sean Canney, asking him to prioritise these clearing works and ensure that the canals are upgraded. This will allow fishing and leisure boats to navigate the canals and access the lakes. These works would also be of great benefit to Lough Lannagh Holiday Village which is built on the shore of the lake, as well as to GMIT which is greatly dependent on the lakes. I have also asked Minister Canney to consider the installation of an electrical weir at the Castlebar end of the Castlebar lake, in order to keep the winter water levels consistent during the summer season. I am asking him to investigate this issue and to allocate funding to make it a reality. Tourism is hugely important to this part of Mayo. We must maintain and improve our local amenities to ensure continued success in our annual visitor numbers.”
