'You cannot put a price on life' - says councillor on Breaffy speed limit report

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

The elected members of the Castlebar Municipal District are waiting to hear the observations from locals and community groups in Breaffy on a report putting forward a number of options, before they decide on what steps to take next in their pursuit of the lowering of the speed limit in the village.

Two charged in relation to Ballina cannabis seizure

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

A man and woman arrested in connection with the seizure of €80,000 worth of cannabis have been charged by Gardaí and will appear before Ballina District Court, on March 9.

Increases in women and children contacting domestic violence service in Mayo during second lockdown

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

Across the country, including County Mayo, at least 2,018 women and 550 children received support from a domestic violence service each month from September to December 2020, according to a new report called 'Tracking the Shadow Pandemic – Lockdown 2'.

Mayo hoteliers call for urgent additional supports to safeguard jobs

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

Hotel and guesthouse owners in Mayo are calling for an urgent review of business and employment supports for the hospitality sector, following the announcement at the weekend that it is unlikely to reopen before mid-summer.

Castlebar MD puts forward motion to bring planning back on the agenda

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

The elected members of the Castlebar Municipal District gave their full-throated backing to a motion put forward by Fine Gael Cllr Cyril Burke, calling for the discussion of planning permission applications to be put back on agendas for council meetings. Cllr Burke told the meeting that it was not about one-off planning permissions but other projects, such as telecommunication masts, which are causing concern amongst local residents, and that it was not right that elected councillors can't discuss them at council meetings. He received full backing from his fellow councillors for the motion to be put forward to the next full meeting of Mayo County Council. The wording of the motion will read: "That this council writes to minister’s Peter Burke and Darragh O’Brien requesting that planning be allowed to be put back on Municipal council agendas so that planning issues can be discussed, particularly as some of them affect communities who cannot voice their views. This motion to be circulated to all other Councils to be included in their agenda’s for discussion."

Battle on development plan ahead

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

Fianna Fáil Cllr Al McDonnell has said that councillors and the public need to be ready for a battle to ensure the new Mayo County Development Plan is one that represents the views of the councillors and the people. He said it was vitally important that members of the public and public and community groups make submissions on the plan. Cllr Michael Kilcoyne told the meeting that it was vitally important that people had their say and councillors should do everything to encourage people to have their input. Cllr McDonnell also raised the possibility of having the deadlines for submissions extended 'as the community groups are not able to have public meetings at the minute due to Covid-19 restrictions and they will not be able to meet as they did before to put forward their thoughts on the plan'.

Sheridan doesn't accept delay in having meetings broadcast online

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

Fine Gael Cllr Donna Sheridan has asked for a full report from the digital transformation team of Mayo County Council and the local authorities IT department, on why council meetings are not being streamed online for the public to watch easily. Cllr Sheridan had at the January meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District asked for the meetings to be streamed, which was backed by other councillors, and expressed her disappointment that it was not in place for the February meeting.

Deere looks for home for skate park

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

Fine Gael Cllr Ger Deere put forward a notice of motion to the February meeting of the Castlebar Muncipal District which read:"That this Council identify a suitable site in the Castlebar Urban area for the provision of a skate park and examine possible streams of funding to develop same.” His motion was supported by the other elected members, with Cllr Michael Kilcoyne suggesting that a skate park should be included as part of the masterplan being prepared for the Lough Lannagh area of the town.

Planning application for Kilnageer on target

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

The lodging of a planning application by Irish Rail for an over-crossing at Kilnageer, hasn't been formally lodged yet with Mayo County Council, but is targeted to meet its agreed date of the end of quarter-one of 2021. The issue was raised by Cllr Cyril Burke at the February meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District, where he questioned the current status of the project. Senior engineer for Mayo County Council, Anne Sweeney, told Cllr Burke that the council had met a number of times with Irish Rail and their various consultants and everything was moving along to the planning application being lodged in March.

Band on the run

Fri, Feb 26, 2021

The elected members of the Castlebar Municipal District have agreed to investigate the idea of seeking funding for a mobile bandstand that could be used for events in the district. Fianna Fáil Cllr Martin McLoughlin had a notice of motion down for the council's February meeting calling for the council to "consider the provision of a Band Stand on the Mall now that funding of €250,000 is available to Local Authorities under the Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021.This funding is provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in consultation with the CCMA and Fáilte Ireland for outdoor spaces that Champions the Arts."

Ballina Municipal District Briefs

Sun, Feb 21, 2021

Catch up with what was discussed at the latest Ballina Municipal District meeting

HAP rates need to be reviewed – Conway-Walsh

Sun, Feb 21, 2021

Sinn Fein TD for Mayo, Rose Conway-Walsh, has called on the Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, to review HAP rates across the state, in light of figures which show that over 70% of those on HAP are in receipt of the maximum top-up of 20 per cent in Mayo.

E-paper

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