Convicting illegal dumpers a priority of Mayo County Council

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

The issue of what happens once illegal dumping is reported to the council raised its head at this week’s monthly meeting of the Castlebar electoral area committee. Fine Gael Councillor Henry Kenny brought up the issue asking: “I have reported illegal dumping myself on a number of occasions, I’d just like to know what the follow up is on this dumping, do they come along and remove the materials that are dumped and what do they do after to investigate who is doing the dumping?” Cllr Kenny’s enquiry was backed up by Labour party Cllr Johnny Mee who told the meeting, “I agree with Cllr Kenny, there is an ongoing problem in this area where rubbish is just being dumped by people in the town. It’s a sad sight and it’s an appalling behaviour that has to be clamped down on by the council and the public in general.”

Responding to the question director of services for Castlebar Seamus Granahan told the meeting, “There are a number of full time enforcement officers in the county. All reports of illegal dumping are logged and followed up on. We’ve had a number of successes in courts recently where people have received large fines after being detected dumping illegally. We now have mobile CCTV cameras which we are using to detect people who are engaged in this activity. People are, though, getting wise to not leaving any correspondence in their rubbish so it makes them hard to track down, but illegal dumping is a priority of this council.”

Safe driving tuition with Jacqui

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

Safe Driving School of Motoring headed up by Jacqui Moran is based in Ballinrobe. A former driving examiner (SGS) and approved driving instructor (RSA), Ms Moran has years of experience in the business having worked previously as an instructor in Co Kildare before moving here with her husband Michael from Kilmaine and her two children.

Jail for man who stole Pot Noodle, champagne, and Lynx

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

A Dublin heroin addict who is currently serving an 18-month sentence in the midlands prison was given a three-month sentence to run concurrently at Ballinrobe District Court last week.

NRA having too much say on local planning issues

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

The impending refusal of planning permission for a development at Cloonkeen, Islandeady, caused frustration to elected members of the Castlebar electoral area committee this week. The single dwelling house was turned down because it was located on a national primary route, and the NRA objected to it. Cllr Johnny Mee asked senior executive planner for Mayo County Council John McMyler if there was anything that could be done in relation to this plan. Mr McMyler responded it was not likely as the council had received a submission from the NRA on the application.

Conviction for man who drove while intoxicated on New Year’s Eve

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

A Kilalla man who was detected drink driving on New Year’s Eve was warned by Judge Patrick Clyne that he would serve a prison sentence if he breaks the conditions of a suspended sentence which was imposed on him at Ballina District Court on Tuesday.

Anger at €11.7 million investment in Mayo Roads

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

Mayo has been allocated €11.7 million under the National Roads Programme 2009 but there has been anger expressed at what was dubbed “the crumbs off the table”.

Galway man passed cheques which bounced in Ballinrobe

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

A Galway man was convicted and fined €300 and ordered to hand over €500 compensation for passing two cheques that bounced at Ballinrobe District Court. Mark Keane pleaded guilty to the charges in court, in a case which his solicitor Cathy McDarby said had “no malice in it”.

Four months sentence for mystery Nigerian woman

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

Judge Mary Devins handed down a four month prison sentence to a Nigerian woman who has been through the court system on a number of occasions since she was first arrested on November 12 last year.

Roadsafe Roadshow comes to Mayo

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

A hard-hitting road safety message will be delivered to some 1,000 teenagers at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar on February 3 when they view the award-winning Roadsafe Roadshow. The event has been organised in conjunction with the Mayo County Council, An Garda Síochána, and the local emergency services. It depicts graphically how a night out ended in tragedy and permanent disability for one Roadshow participant.

Mayo family changing their world for climate change

Fri, Jan 30, 2009

While some New Year resolutions are already falling by the wayside, Mairead Carney, a mother of one from Kiltimagh, has found one she can stick to that saves her money and helps tackle climate change. Mairead found her carbon number at Change.ie and has since begun making small, cost-effective changes to her and her family’s lifestyle.

Grass Roots – An inside look at local politics – from the pens of the politicians themselves

Fri, Jan 23, 2009

So Councillor Noel Campbell is gone, helped along by those who made the complaint that he was now too high a grade in the public service to continue to represent people in his native town. Funny isn’t it that some people who are paid from the same public purse, a lot more than Cllr Campbell, remain as elected members of local councils.

What fascinates me most were the reports in the local papers of the glowing tributes that all present at the last meeting of Castlebar Town Council paid to Cllr Campbell, I’m sure they were all deserved.

It’s time for politicians to be honest with people

Fri, Jan 23, 2009

“It’s time for the politicians to be honest with the people in the area, for example with the sewerage scheme in Belmullet. We have been promised this basic bit of infrastructure for years and when the money was there we didn’t get it. But now the promises will be trotted out again come the election about it, but even if there is funding for it there, because of the polluter pays principle there are businesses in Belmullet who are going to have to contribute millions towards it to get it going. It’s time our politicians were honest with the people about this.”

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