Ballina Municipal District councillors have agreed to communicate their thanks and appreciation to Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring following the recent allocations for projects as part of the Town and Village renewal Scheme in the county. At a Municipal District meeting last week councillors were informed that all four projects in the county which had applied for funding were successful.
The proposed projects include an art museum at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ballycastle, the extension of the Admiral Brown Promenade at Foxford, an historical tourism app and trail in Swinford and a tourism development plan centred around Killala’s round tower.
Councillors Michael Smyth, Neil Cruise, and Jarlath Munnelly commended Minister Ring for introducing the scheme and asked their fellow councillors to formally thank the minister. This was agreed by all at the meeting.
Fianna Fail councillor Michael Smyth told The Mayo Advertiser: “I have it put on record that the investment from Minister Ring will pay huge dividend in the long run. As a county we undersell ourselves in Mayo when it comes to our history and what we have to offer. If you ask someone in Killarney what there is to do or see in the area they will rattle off a list of things, with this money hopefully we can start doing the same in Swinford and other areas.”
Fine Gael’s Neil Cruise, speaking on Foxford’s €100,000 allocation, said: “It has the potential to really change the drive of the town in Foxford. This project will bring the River Moy back to the forefront of the town. Right now, unless you are travelling into the town from the Ballina side, you almost miss the river completely until it is nearly too late. We need to change that.”
The council’s manager for the Ballina Municipal District, Marie Crowley, informed councillors that the local authority is now progressing the projects as quickly as possible in order to draw down the available funds.
