Ruane slams poor road markings at roundabouts

Mon, Mar 08, 2010

Sinn Féin councillor Thérèse Ruane has described the road markings at the roundabouts in Castlebar as a fiasco. She is calling on the National Roads Authority and Mayo County Council to revert to standard road markings for roundabout layouts in the town of Castlebar and will be putting this motion before the members of Castlebar Town Council at next Thursday’s monthly meeting. She is hopeful of their full support.  

Barrett welcomes court judgement

Mon, Mar 08, 2010

The State and Shell have lost their bid to stop two Mayo citizens pursuing High Court claims as to whether a ministerial consent given eight years ago for the Shell gas pipeline is valid. The decision was welcomed by Cllr Harry Barrett. Judge Laffoy ruled last week that Brendan Philbin and Bríd McGarry were allowed to have that issue and other public law claims ruled on by the court.

Westport doesn’t meet CCTV criteria

Mon, Mar 08, 2010

Mayo Dáil deputy Michael Ring has again raised the issue of having CCTV cameras installed in Westport. However, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has informed the Fine Gael spokesperson on Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht affairs, the town has not met a number of qualifying criteria to get approval for the scheme.

Farmers’ livelihoods threatened by unnecessary tagging system – Ring

Mon, Mar 08, 2010

Fine Gael community, rural, and Gaeltacht affairs spokesperson, Michael Ring TD, said the Government’s failure to stand up for sheep farmers at EU level has led to the imposition of a costly and unnecessary electronic tagging system, when farm incomes are already at an all time low.

Ring queries absence of broadband

Mon, Mar 08, 2010

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan has been advised by the Fine Gael spokesperson on community, rural, and Gaeltacht affairs, Deputy Michael Ring of the absence of a broadband service in certain areas of Mayo. He raised the matter by way of a Dáil question as to what steps the Minister is taking to provide high-speed broadband services.

Record funding for housing adaptation grants

Mon, Mar 08, 2010

Record funding has been allocated for housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability this year, according to local Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary.

Kiltimagh sterilised for planning if council ratifies by-pass amendment

Fri, Mar 05, 2010

A huge portion of the town of Kiltimagh will be sterilised for planning purposes if a decision by the Swinford electoral area committee made this week is ratified by the full meeting of Mayo County Council on Monday.

Bladair.com – Mayo’s Irish language blog to go national

Fri, Mar 05, 2010

A new Irish language blog, www.bladair.com, launched in Mayo to help primary and second level students improve their proficiency in the Irish language, is to be launched to a national audience following its success in Mayo.

O’Mahony shaken but well following car accident

Fri, Mar 05, 2010

Mayo Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony has thanked all the people who contacted his office by phone and text enquiring and wishing him well following a car accident he had on Saturday last.

Ring proposes that JPC write to Minister about rent supplement scheme

Fri, Mar 05, 2010

Fine Gael TD Michael Ring proposed at the Westport Joint Policing Committee on Monday that the JPC should write to Minister Mary Hanafin, Minister for Social and Family Affairs, in relation to the rent supplement scheme and recommend that the HSE will not provide rent supplement for people who are not on the local authority housing list or who have not had police checks.

Man to pay back social welfare money he stole

Fri, Mar 05, 2010

A Cork man who, on 11 separate occasions, claimed social welfare benefit using his brother’s name and card at Ballyhaunis Post Office, was this week before Ballyhaunis District Court.

Judge calls mother and daughter ‘reckless’ and ‘a menace’

Fri, Mar 05, 2010

Judge Mary Devins ordered probation reports on a mother and daughter who she branded as “reckless and a menace” at Castlebar District Court this week. Sarah Spence, Cosy House, Newtown, Castlebar, and her daughter Harriet Higgins, also of Cosy House, Newtown, Castlebar, were both in court to face a number of public order charges. Both Spence and Higgins pleaded guilty to the charges before the court.

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