Adams welcomes extension of Lough Mask water to Westport and Louisburgh

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

Westport Fianna Fáil Councillor Margaret Adams has welcomed the raising of a loan for the upgrade of the treatment works at Tourmakeady and the extension of the scheme to Westport and Louisburgh.

The ‘we’re not Fianna Fáil’ mantra not enough to see Fine Gael through

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

While the Soldiers of Destiny in Mayo march towards their long awaited Nemesis this June those other political foot-soliders, the Blue Shirts may be marching towards a clash with hubris.

Their current policy of not being Fianna Fáil is just not good enough nor is their presumption that they will now be the party that the voter turns to in this time of crisis and confusion. We see this in the fact that, nationally, Fine Gael has reached a glass ceiling in its popular support and it is, in fact, Labour and the Independents who have reaped the rewards of Fianna Fáil’s decline.

Barrett gets result on Community Welfare Office

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

Labour's Harry Barrett has welcomed the changes being put in place by the HSE to deal with the long delays and queues at the Community Welfare Office in Castlebar. Barrett had written to HSE management after many complaints by users and staff that things were beginning to spiral out of control due to staff shortages and increased workload.

Further increase in Castlebar Live Register

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

The latest live register figures for Castlebar shows another unemployment rise in the county town with very little political debate happening in relation to stemming the flow. That’s according to Labour councillor Harry Barrett.

“The numbers signing on in Castlebar has now risen to nearly 1,900 people and this shows the awful extent of the economic downturn on the town,” Cllr Barrett said. “This is broken down into 1,225 males and 629 females seeking benefit. I believe these figures may even underestimate the extent of unemployment throughout the town because of a number of categories of unemployed people who are being denied benefits.

Call to expand community employment schemes

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

Fine Gael councillor Jarlath Munnelly has called on the Government to expand community employment schemes to provide employment opportunities for recently unemployed people. The Fine Gael councillor made these comments as the number of people out of work continues to grow. Cllr Munnelly said that he was disappointed to see many committed, hard working, people queue up for social welfare assistance, when they would clearly prefer to be contributing to society by working. “I was in Ballina last Wednesday morning, where I was shocked at the length of the queue outside the Social Welfare Exchange in Ballina. Many of the people there were signing on for the first time in their lives. Up until a few weeks ago, some of these people were in well paid jobs, and now, thanks to events beyond their control, they are unemployed. For many, it’s for the first time. This is a poor use of our human resources in this country.”

Jail and psychiatric assessment for Shell to Sea activist

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

Retired school principal and prolific Shell to Sea activist, Maura Harrington, Tullyaghanbawn, Geesala, Belmullet, was sentenced to 28 days in jail and recommended to undergo psychiatric assessment, by Judge Mary Devins at Belmullet District Court on Wednesday, after Harrington was convicted of a section two assault on retired garda Eamon Berry on June 11 2007 during a protest at Pullathomas Pier. The defendant, who was also bound to the peace for 12 months for a public offence on a different date, failed to sign the bond. Due to her contempt of court Harrington was sentenced to jail a further two days concurrent.

All new housing developments in county to be hit with new levy

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

For the second time in a week, the controversial new development levy scheme for all new developments in relation to water and sewerage contributions was passed by a local authority in the county, but only after a number of councillors expressed their opposition to the decision. Last week Ballina Town Council passed a reduced rate levey of €3,500 per housing unit while the council was looking for a €4,500 levey. The levey passed by the county county council according to the managers report on the scheme break down the costs so that for large schemes, the amount of the council’s contribution to the total cost of the scheme will be divided by the number of new houses to be served. While for small scheme’s it will be, the amount of the council’s contribution to the total cost divided by the number of new houses to be served, averaged over five recent small schemes developed by the council.

Elderly woman and daughter knocked down

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

A man who knocked down a 91-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s and her daughter outside a shop in Ballina was before Ballina District Court on Tuesday for driving without reasonable consideration.

Fianna Fáil Castlebar candidates announced

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

Fianna Fáil have finalised their candidates to contest the Castlebar electoral area for the June 5 Mayo County Council elections. Vying for seats on the local authority will be Cllr Blackie Gavin, Cllr Sean Bourke, Cllr Al McDonnell and Mickey Feeney.

Drink driving and assault convictions for Ballina farmer

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

A part-time farmer in his 40s was convicted for two Section Two assaults on gardaí as well as for driving his tractor while intoxicated, at Ballina District Court this week.

Irish Rail slammed for lack of consultation with Straide residents

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

The elected members of Mayo County Council lent their vocal if not official support to the residents of Straide, who according to spokesperson Mary Roache “will see our community split in two” if Irish Rail get permission to close off three railway crossings XX31, XX32 and XX33.

Ballina woman crashed her friend’s mother’s car

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

The car of a Westport woman which was crashed after her daughter allowed a friend to drive the car resulted in the disqualification of two 21-year-olds at Ballina District Court on Tuesday.

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