Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Castlebar’s latest panto offering

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Castlebar Pantomime will be presenting Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, today and tomorrow at 7.45pm, with 2.45pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday.

O'Brien calls for reuse of old lights in other parts of Shrule

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Fine Gael councillor Patsy O'Brien at this week’s meeting praised the work being done on the Shrule village enhancment scheme at present. But he asked that the council would resuse some of the lighting in the village that may be replaced as part of the works, pointing out that the Dalgan Road towards the football pitch could do with some extra lighting. Director of services for Mayo County Council, Seamus Granahan, said that he would have the matter examined.

Minister moves to wipe out community and voluntary sector

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Current proposals from Minister Phil Hogan and his Department will totally undermine the LEADER model of community-led local development and will wipe out meaningful community and voluntary involvement in the sector.

Decision on area offices will be taken when final redrawing of boundaries is made

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

The issue of the retention of county council area offices in towns around the county is one that has been brought up on numerous occasions over the past few years as budget cuts have hit the county. The issue was raised again at Monday’s budget meeting of Mayo County Council, and county manager Peter Hynes reiterated that no guarantee can be given for any office, especially with the expected redrawing of the electoral area boundaries to municipal districts. “It’s not a decision of anyone in this chamber as to the map of the division of the municipal districts, there are no guarantees,” he said. “You can’t look for rationalisation and give guarantees on depots and offices. When the map for the planned divisions come in we’ll do a workforce plan like we’ve done before.”

Popular Fine Gael member celebrates his eightieth birthday

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Popular Bofeenaun resident Davy Donoghue celebrated his 80th birthday at a surprise party which was hosted by his many friends in Leonard's, Lahardane, recently. Among the revellers were relations, friends, and members of Fine Gael. A life long member of that party, he is also an active and valued member of his community, and his endeavours are much appreciated by everyone who knows him. Davy received a special scroll to mark the occasion from An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, presented to him by Councillor Henry Kenny.

O'Brien wants dog control debate

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Fine Gael councillor Patsy O'Brien has asked that a debate be held about dog control following a number of worring incidents involving sheep. Cllr O'Brien said that he believed this is an issue that has been on the rise and will become a major issue in particular for farmers. Cllr Richard Finn supported Cllr O'Brien's suggestion, and it was agreed to put forward a notice of motion on the issue to the full council for a later discussion.

Minister has neglected Rapid programme — Ó Cuív

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Rural Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, has criticised the Minister for the Environment for failing to give priority to the Rapid scheme, which focuses on dealing with social deprivation in the most disadvantaged urban communities in the country.

Calleary accuses Government of dismantling local Garda resources

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has accused the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter of single-handedly dismantling local Garda resources amid an ongoing surge in burglaries and thefts in Co Mayo and across the western region.

Register your septic tank in time to apply for a remedial grant

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Mayo Fine Gael TD John O'Mahony has urged septic tank owners in Mayo to make sure they have registered their systems before the deadline of February 1 to ensure they will be eligible to apply for a remediation grant if necessary.

Don’t be a tech zombie - keep your eyes and ears alert to dangers

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

You didn’t realise it, but an MP3 player can kill you. The road safety office of Mayo County Council highlighted the dangers of what it calls “iPod oblivion/zombie alert,” which it describes as “a trance-like or zombie state entered by the fashion of some people using MP3 players, phones and electronic organisers on the move,” and which it believes is a contributory factor to many of the pedestrian/cyclist deaths in the Ireland each year. There were 28 pedestrians and eight cyclists killed on Irish roads in 2012. It is not known how many of these cases were caused by people listening to music because the Department of Transport and the Gardaí do not have this information at their disposal.

Finn calls for low cost safety work to be carried out on N17 junction

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Indepedent councillor Richard Finn this week called for Mayo County Council to carry out work under the low cost safety scheme on the junction of the old Convent Road in Claremorris and the old N17. Cllr Finn told the meeting that the vision was impaired at that junction for those trying to come off the old Convent Road. Fine Gael councillor Tom Connolly supported Cllr Finn's suggestion.

Mayo County Council budget agreed with minimal changes

Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Following a long day of presentations and contributions, the 2013 annual budget for Mayo County Council was adopted with little fuss on Monday evening in Castlebar. The only major change to the adopted budget, which was proposed by Fine Gael whip Cllr Joe Mellett and seconded by Fianna Fáil whip Cllr Micheál McNamara from the draft one that was presented to the members, was the need to find an extra €70,000 to fund some extra projects and to make up a €40,000 shortfall in the fire service budget when the members refused to increase the call out charge for the service from €150 to €200.

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