Claremorris planning applications down

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

Planning applications were down over a third in the Claremorris electoral area for the three month period of January to March 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. Senior planner for Mayo County Council John McMyler gave the elected members the number on foot of a request at the previous month’s meetings. He informed the members: “In the first three months of 2008 there were 500 planning applications on file in this area, and this year for the same period there are 314 applications, that’s a drop of around 37 per cent.”

Motion on Leader funding passed after lengthy debate

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

A notice of motion by Michelle Mulherin calling on the Ballina electoral area committee to request the Minister for Environment and the Minister for Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to obtain a derogation for Ballina and other towns in the BMW region from the EU in order for them to obtain structural funds under the Leader programme caused plenty of debate at the committee meeting this week. The motion was eventually passed when it was seconded by her Fine Gael party colleague Jarlath Munnelly.

Driving ban for man who failed to produce insurance

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

A Swinford man was disqualified from driving for failing to produce his documentation at Ballyhaunis District Court this week.

James Murphy of Coill Abhainn, Swinford, was stopped by Garda Sean Lydon at Lismegan, Aghamore, on September 13 2008 at 9.30am after the garda detected him travelling at 127kph. Garda Lydon told the court that he stopped the vehicle and spoke to Murphy who undertook to produce his driving licence and insurance at the Garda station within 10 days, which he failed to do. Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined Murphy €750, disqualified him from driving for one year, convicted and fined him €50 for failure to produce his documents, and fined him €150 for speeding.

Best Journalist award for Ballyvary student

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

Twenty-two-year-old DCU student Michael McHale, from Ballyvary, scooped the coveted Best Journalist award, sponsored by the Irish Examiner, at the 3 student media awards. It was judged by Tim Vaughen, the Examiner's editor.

Chernobyl Children’s Project All Art

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

The Westport branch of the Chernobyl Children’s Project is getting ready for a bumper May bank holiday weekend of art and creativity.

Imprisoned Harrington missed London conference

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

Imprisoned school teacher Maura Harrington who was invited to speak at an event in London arranged by a coalition of human rights organisations, was unable to do so because she was still detained in Mountjoy Prison. The event, which took place on Monday, was organised by the remember saro-wiwa coalition to highlight the Wiwa vs Shell trial.

Ninety four Mayo primary schools sowing and growing in national challenge

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

An almighty platoon of young Mayo farmers is homeward bound to learn about the importance of eating their five-a-day. Primary schools in Mayo are cultivating five crops of Irish fruit and vegetables in the classroom for the National Incredible Edibles growing challenge, developed by Agri Aware.

Mellett welcomes decision to keep public payphones

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

Eircom has today confirmed to the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Cllr Joe Mellett that a number of payphones in east Mayo will be retained. This comes following numerous representations outlining the gravity of removing the public payphones. The service will remain at Charlestown, Bellaghy, Kiltimagh, Kilkelly, and Foxford for a further 12 months. They have also agreed to retain one of the kiosks at the courthouse in Swinford.

Councillors look to cut parking charges and rates in bid to stimulate business

Fri, Apr 10, 2009

Councillors from the Claremorris electoral area questioned the possibility of cutting parking charges and rates in the town to stimulate business during the current economic downturn. Cllr Tom Connolly told a meeting of the local electoral area committee that the argument is being made that the on street traders are at a serious disadvantage because people have to pay to park to use their business while the larger stores like SuperValu, Tesco, and Lidl are at an advantage because they have large sites offering free parking in the town.

Senior executive officer for Mayo County Council Padraic Flanagan told Cllr Connolly: “We can look at the situation while we carry out the review of the pay and display in the town which will be happening shortly, and see what we can do. But we already have in the town one of the lowest charges for on street parking at the minute at 30 cent per half hour, you only have to look at other towns like Castlebar which are putting up their charges.” Cllr Connolly recognised that pay and display is a good idea and does free up congestion on the streets, but he maintained that something should be done so that the on street business can compete with the large stores. A free time limit would cause some problems according to Patsy Bourke, senior engineer for the council, who told Cllr Connolly: “The free parking scheme would cause a number of problems such as enforcement, as it would be nearly impossible to enforce.”

Labour’s red rose set to bloom

Fri, Apr 03, 2009

Last weekend’s national Labour Party conference in Mullingar set out its platform for the forthcoming elections.

Giving people an alternative

Fri, Apr 03, 2009

With just over two months to go until the polls open and the public get to cast their ballot in the local elections, a new candidate has just entered the race in the Ballina area. This entrant has a long political history in his family and even counts a former Fianna Fáil TD as his uncle, so David Moffatt looks to have a lot going for him already. Except he’s not running on the Fianna Fáil ticket, he has embraced the red rose of Labour and will be his party’s only candidate in the highly competitive Ballina area. Moffatt himself has been involved in the Fianna Fáil party on a local level for a number of years, but his change of allegiance to the Labour party was brought about after Labour party leader Eamon Gilmore impressed him, according to the Crossmolina man. “I’ve been impressed by Eamon Gilmore’s positive message; jobs, his message of change and reform ties in with my thinking about what we need in politics now.”

Higgins welcomes EU Sky Package - cheaper and shorter flights

Fri, Apr 03, 2009

Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins has welcomed the Single European Sky (SES) legislative package, which addresses the air transport system as a whole having a direct positive effect on air carriers, the air service industry, air traffic control, airports and the aeronautical industry, and not forgetting passengers.

The SES project hopes to build a network of direct air routes and make air traffic control efficient by the creation of functional air blocks (FAB) to bring about shorter flight times, a decrease in kerosene consumption, and less pollution thanks to lower CO2 emissions. The length of flights will be shorter and cheaper thanks to shorter routes and lower air taxes in each state. The implementation of the Single European Sky is foreseen for the first half of 2012 at the latest.

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