Search Results for 'Michael Ring'

It was all about by-elections last weekend - two Dáil by-elections being watched closely with a view to gauging the mood music of the electorate; a Seanad by-election generating an inordinate amount of interest as the Government inflicted an unnecessary wound on itself; and two parliamentary by-elections in England which may yet prove to be of some interest this side of the Irish Sea.

By Frances Toner

Hotel Westport has been awarded, by public vote, this year’s Best Family Friendly Hotel in the Hotel and Catering Review Gold Medal Awards. The awards recognise and reward excellence in hotels, guest-houses, restaurants, spas, clubs, and catering operations across the island of Ireland. The awards were presented at a gala ceremony in the Double Tree Hilton Hotel, (formerly the Burlington Hotel), last week. The finalists were judged by a panel of industry experts, who carried out rigorous site inspections at each premises to determine the winners.

The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, yesterday announced that funding of approximately €257,000 is being made available to Mayo County Council for remedial works at all the county’s Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Points, totalling 30 sites in all, along the Mayo coast.

Last Monday Westport once again claimed a major national prize in the SuperValu Tidy Towns competition, when it was announced one of Ireland’s Tidiest Large Towns at the awards ceremony in the Helix in Dublin. Westport previously won the overall prize in 2001, 2006, and 2008. It has also taken the Tidiest Large Town prize in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, and in 2012. Welcoming the news Minister of State, Michael Ring, said: “This award is richly deserved following the endless work and dedication involved in keeping Westport tidy. I wish to take this opportunity to highly commend the chairperson of Westport Tidy Towns, Ms Rhona Chambers, the committee itself, and the large number of volunteers”. He continued: "The people of Westport take huge pride in the appearance of the town and it is wonderful to see their work in this regard being rewarded.”

The long awaited Castlebar skate park has twice missed out on funding because both applications from the former Castlebar Town Council were “deemed invalid”.

Tourism experts and leaders gathered in Westport this week to discuss the future of the industry in Mayo.

The announcement that €304,088 has been allocated to Mayo County Council by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government for housing adaptations for tenants with disabilities has been warmly welcomed by both Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring and Michelle Mulherin TD.

Both the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, and his Fine Gael colleague, John O’Mahony TD, have welcomed the announcement of funding for improvement works for schools in Mayo. In relation to funding for Mount St Michael Secondary School under the Department of Education and Skills, Emergency Works Scheme, Minister of State Ring said this week: “I am pleased that Mount St Michael Secondary School has been sanctioned funding under the Emergency Works Scheme. The funding for will be used for electrical works.”

Two more points along the Mayo coastline have been designated as ‘signature viewing points’ on the Wild Atlantic Way.