Woman fined for theft of clothes

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

A woman from Castlerea who stole €67 worth of clothing from Dunne’s Stores in Ballina was back in Ballina on Tuesday as she appeared before Judge Mary Devins at the District Court sitting.

Second home tax raises over €1,000,000 for Mayo County Council

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

Tax on second homes which was introduced in the April Budget has raised more than €51 million nationally with €1,581,560 raised for Mayo County Council, as reported in this week’s Irish Times.

Garda Update

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

Men arrested following Ballina break in
Two men who broke into The Pub on John’s Street, Ballina, on Thursday at 3.45am were arrested by gardaí in Ballina in relation to the incident.

Belcarra PhD student presents travel paper in India

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

A Belcarra student has made the long journey to India to speak at the 12th International Conference on Travel Behaviour.

Driving disqualification for carrying child with no seatbelt

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

A father who had his four-year-old child unrestrained in his car while he drove was disqualified from driving for one year at Ballina District Court this week.

First month a big hit for youthlinks website

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

The youthlinks website which was launched by a partnership of South West Mayo Development Company, Foróige, Mayo VEC, The No Name Club and Pobal at the end of October has been a big hit so far. Catherine McColoskey, the youth development officer with South West Mayo Development Company, says she can only see the website going from strength to strength.

A home for Safe Hands

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

Look at your hands holding this paper. From the moment shortly after birth when you used them to grip the finger of your parents, they have been the first contact you have with people. In a country not really at home with kissing both cheeks to greet, it is our hands we use for that first tentative meeting or that warm grip of an old friend. Now think about the hand of a woman who has been physically, mentally, or sexually abused. A woman whose trust has been broken. The Mayo Rape Crisis Centre and Mayo Women’s Support Services work with these women to help them regain their trust in people.

Funding available for Mayo school but Minister won’t allow it - Ring

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

Fine Gael TD Deputy Michael Ring this week hit out at the Department of Education for the lack of progress on the upgrading of Our Lady’s secondary school in Belmullet. “Once again no date was given for the start up of works,” said Deputy Ring, “I am calling on the Minister to use the funding that we know is available to the Department to get this much needed upgrade off the ground.”

Councillors to contact Justice Minister over ‘revolving door system’

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

Members of Mayo County Councils Joint Policing Committee this week proposed to contact the Minister of Justice to condemn the “revolving door system of prisons” as prison sentences are not a “deterrent” and gardaí are frustrated that “criminals can act without impunity”.

Ballina man smashed in ex-partner’s window

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

A 26-year-old man who, while intoxicated, kicked the front door of his ex-partner’s house and smashed in her window as he was upset that she was in a new relationship was before Ballina District Court this week for criminal damage and public order charges.

O’Mahony concerned over large number of gardaí leaving the force in Mayo

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

Thirty gardaí have retired from the force in Mayo within the past 12 months, according to figures released to Mayo Fine Gael TD, John O’Mahony. The vast majority of those who retired were rank and file gardaí who were serving in districts throughout the county, and Deputy O’Mahony has called on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to ensure that the vacancies at all levels in the force in the county be filled.

Westport mourns double tragedy

Fri, Dec 11, 2009

The town of Westport was plunged into mourning this week after the death of two men last weekend. On Sunday the body of Noel Gill, who had gone missing in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on November 19, was found. Mr Gill was last seen by a friend in the city between 4am and 4.30pm close to the Erasmus Bridge, near Churchillplein in the city centre. A large scale appeal to help find Mr Gill was launched by his family and friends online including a website and Facebook appeals in their effort to locate him. Mr Gill had been in Rotterdam for over a year at the time he went missing, but would return to Mayo regularly to see his wife Cindy and their two children.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.