Ballinrobe comes eighth in all-Ireland unemployment league

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

At a recent meting in Ballinrobe, Fine Gael candidate Michael Burke addressed the difficult business climate in the area and the effect this is having on employment prospects.

Public servants must pay- while top artists go free

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

The Fine Gael spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Michael Ring has called for a review of the Artists’ Tax Exemption in light of the burden being carried by all other workers. Deputy Ring went on to say: “We are now in very difficult economic times, we can no longer expect exemption for artists, some of them making a lot of money. They should now pay their fair share to the economy like everybody else. I am calling on the Minister for Finance to immediately review this scheme and make a swift decision on this.”

Following a recent Dáil question the Finance Minister Brian Lenihan revealed that over the period 1994 to 2005 a total of €273.9 million has been written off by Revenue Commissioners on the tax exemption scheme for artists since the scheme was introduced.

McHale encourages young people to register to vote

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

The youngest declared candidate in the Claremorris electoral area, Gerard McHale, has encouraged all of those who will be 18 years of age or older on June 5 to register to vote prior to the June election.

Grassroots

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

Fine Gael’s high hopes of Castlebar dominance

With the pace of local events beginning to pick up noticeably, the dust is finally starting to settle on what the list of runners will be in the Castlebar area for the county council elections. Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael began to mould their teams this week, but with the caveat that further additions to each panel might well be expected before the white flag is raised in the first week in June.

Jim Higgins calls for a stand alone Lisbon referendum

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins has called for a properly prepared for, stand alone referendum on the Lisbon treaty.

Barrett and Ruane co-opted on to Castlebar Town Council

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

Castlebar Town Council was returned to its quota of nine councillors at last week’s monthly meeting of the local authority. Labour’s Harry Barrett and Sinn Féin’s Therese Ruane were co-opted on to the council in place of Johnny Mee and Noel Campbell respectively.

Decision to remove phone boxes angers councillors

Fri, Feb 20, 2009

The notification of Eircom that it intends to remove 13 phone boxes in the Ballina area sparked anger among the majority of the members of Ballina electoral area committee this week. The boxes will be removed from areas in Crossmolina, Ballycastle, Ballina town, Killala, and Bonniconlon. Fine Gael Cllr Michelle Mulherin told the meeting: “I’m completely opposed to the removal of the phone kiosks. This is a retrograde step by Eircom, there are people who don’t have mobile phones and use them, what good is there putting a sign on a phone box in Bonniconlon, Killala, or Crossmolina telling them this one is going and the nearest one to them is in Ballina town?”

Fianna Fáil Cllr Annie May Reape was agreed with her colleague calling it “a backward step, I appeal to Eircom to leave them alone and concentrate their efforts on removing the poles that are in front of houses all over the county”.

Lisbon No campaign successfully sold

Fri, Feb 13, 2009

I detect one tiny slice of silver lining on our dark clouds. A recent Red C opinion poll found that 58 per cent of respondents would vote Yes if there was a second Lisbon Treaty held this year.

Barrett wants action on Mayo figures

Fri, Feb 13, 2009

“The latest live register figures for Mayo show shocking rises across the county with very little political debate happening in relation to stemming the flow,” according to Labour’s local election candidate, Harry Barrett.

Court sittings must be restored to Ballinrobe - Beverley

Fri, Feb 13, 2009

Mayo TD Beverley Flynn has called for the immediate restoration of District Court sittings to Ballinrobe. And she has demanded a full and credible explanation from the Court Service for the sudden decision to terminate court hearings in Ballinrobe and transfer them to Castlebar.

Westport’s ‘can do’ spirit rubbing off on Ballina

Fri, Feb 13, 2009

The Grassroots in Westport aren’t happy if last week’s article is anything to go by. Nothing happening apparently, all the Government’s fault, etc, etc. But they’re forgetting that Westport has had it good for a long time in comparison to the rest of the county. And the reason they’ve had it so good is because there’s a ‘can do’ attitude in Westport that up until recently wasn’t really replicated in Ballina or Castlebar. Westport is the tourism Mecca it is today because the Covies stood up in the 70s and decided to make it that way. They put their money where their mouths were and invested considerable sums of their own money in to getting it there. That investment alongside some incredibly biased treatment from Board Fáilte and then Fáilte Ireland (memo to Fáilte Ireland - there’s more to Mayo then Westport) has made Westport the beauty it is today. Governments don’t win Tidy Towns — communities do and the ‘can do’ spirit fostered by the business community is now part of the overall Covie spirit. And in these times, that spirit, not whinging, is needed more then ever, that spirit, not whinging, will sustain Westport through these incredible times.

Martin welcomes election spending limits

Fri, Feb 13, 2009

Labour's Keith Martin has welcomed the introduction of spending limits for the upcoming Local Elections which will range between €7,500 and €15,000 per candidate. This is the first time that limits have been applied to local elections and the period covered will be 60 days leading up to polling day, twice the period that applies in a general election.

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