The elected members of the Castlebar Municipal District have called on the council executive to arrange a meeting between themselves, the local community in Islandeady and other interested bodies, in relation to the potential cutting-off of a large part of the community for a long period of time, due to the construction of the new Westport to Turlough Road project.
The issue was raised by independent Cllr Michael Kilcoyne at the district's monthly meeting this week. He said: "That is not acceptable at all, if a project is costing €170 million and they can't put in some kind of a temporary road to accommodate the people, that is very wrong.
"I think it is disgraceful, it reminds me that they used to 'drive a coach and four' through people. Well, 'a coach and four' is being driven through a community there. People will have to go miles to bring their children to school or to get to a funeral a mile away, it is unacceptable."
Cathaoirleach of the district, Cllr Blackie Gavin, supported Cllr Kilcoyne, saying: "It is disgraceful the way the people are being treated out there." He did add that he was very disappointed that none of the councillors from the district were invited to previous meetings that had taken place in relation to the issue.
Cllr Martin McLoughlin told the meeting that he was involved in an initial meeting that took place between Mayo County Council, the road design office, the contractor, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local community council - but there was a second meeting that was held after that and he was not invited to that meeting and, being a councillor who lives in the area, he was disappointed not to have been invited to that meeting. He added that he was on hand to support all the local groups in the area if they needed it.
Cllr Ger Deere added that he read an article where there was criticism of the local councillors - but they were not invited to the meeting and he found it unfair to criticise them when they were not invited to the meeting.
