Man agrees to leave country rather than go to prison
Fri, Feb 06, 2009
A Latvian man who has amassed more than 30 convictions in the eight years he has lived in Ireland for various driving, theft, and public order offences took the opportunity to leave the State rather than go to prison when offered the choice by Judge Mary Devins at Ballyhaunis District Court this week.
Read more ...Small changes to Corrib route pipeline
Fri, Feb 06, 2009
The proposed onshore Corrib pipeline will be forwarded to the relevant authorities in the near future, after some minor changes were made to the route of the pipeline to avoid some areas of special conservation.
Read more ...Greens are the fag butt that FF will inhale and discard
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
The Green Party has been in the news all week. Their sole city councillors in Dublin and Cork have resigned. The party leadership has dismissed the resignations of Bronwen Maher and Chris O’Leary as merely due to “personal and local constituency” reasons.
Read more ...Grass roots
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
Local Government is often the butt of many jokes: from the depiction of gombeen councillors in RTE’s Hall’s Pictorial Weekly through to Pat Shortt’s more recent comic creation of Councillor Maurice Hickey there has been quite a lot of comic material emanating from local council chambers.
This is a shame given the fact that local government is the one part of the democratic process which is supposed to be closest to the citizen and the community. The common stereotype that ‘the council’ is a closeted existence bolstered by the “jobs for life” culture is a bit of a lazy and somewhat unfair stereotype, but sadly in truth there is some justification for people holding these views. While we do many things well on Mayo County Council, the school report would truthfully read: “Must try harder.”
Read more ...O’Mahony demands immediate payment of grants to farmers
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
Mayo Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith TD, to immediately sanction the payment of outstanding grants owed to farmers who participated in the Farm Waste Management Scheme. It was revealed at the weekend that the Government underestimated what it has to pay to farmers by €400m and the Minister is now hoping to persuade farmers to accept some form of deferred payments.
Read more ...Barrett calls for release of ocean energy funding
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
Labour’s Harry Barrett has hit out at the failure of the Government to provide a €2 million grant aid package promised to the county for ocean energy.
Read more ...Being judged on your record
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
With the Ballinrobe electoral area being swallowed up by the newly bloated Claremorris electoral area the seven sitting councillors in these two areas will be reduced by one, so it’s itchy feet time for the sitting councillors in south Mayo. Two term councillor Damien Ryan will be putting himself before the people for the third time this summer, and despite the apathy people may be feeling to his party in these current times he’s looking forward to getting out there and meeting the people.
“I know this is going to be a tough election for Fianna Fáil this year, but to be honest I believe that this election is won or lost on the ground and what you have delivered to your area. Since I was elected 10 years ago I have worked towards getting a number of things done for my area and I will be judged at the end on that. And I think that you can measure my success on the things I have set out to do and what I have delivered for the people in my area. The party is one thing, but it’s all about how the people on the ground feel you have done for them in your remit and I’m happy to be judged on that by the people when it comes to the polls.”
Read more ...Being judged on your record
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
With the Ballinrobe electoral area being swallowed up by the newly bloated Claremorris electoral area the seven sitting councillors in these two areas will be reduced by one, so it’s itchy feet time for the sitting councillors in south Mayo. Two term councillor Damien Ryan will be putting himself before the people for the third time this summer, and despite the apathy people may be feeling to his party in these current times he’s looking forward to getting out there and meeting the people.
Read more ...Labour ticket to be decided today
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
It is expected that Labour will select one candidate for the Mayo County Council elections in June and two candidates for Castlebar Town Council at a convention today (Friday).
Labour is trying to increase the participation of women in the electoral process by ensuring a 50-50 balance on all electoral tickets for the 2009 Local Elections. The selection convention is to be held in the Traveller’s Friend Hotel at 8pm.
Read more ...Former Green member to stand as independent
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
Former Mayo Green Party member Andy Wilson has announced his intention to stand as an independent candidate in the forthcoming council elections. Mr Wilson, who works as an energy consultant and is editor of Sustainability Journal, says he has absolutely no faith in the ability of the mainstream political parties to get to grips with the economic catastrophe facing Ireland.
Read more ...Price of affordable housing needs to fall in line with property market
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD has warned that the price of affordable housing units needs to fall in order to maintain the previous gap that existed between affordable housing units and the normal property market.
Read more ...Candlelight Ball
Fri, Jan 30, 2009
A candlelight ball organised by the Western Care Association Castlebar voluntary branch will take place in Breaffy House Hotel on Saturday February 7 at 8pm.
Read more ...