Ring approves contract documents for Castlebar pool

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

Minister of State Michael Ring this week announced the approval of the contract documents submitted by Mayo County Council for the swimming pool element of the National Outdoor Educational Training Centre and sports facilities in Castlebar. This approval will allow Mayo County Council to proceed to tender for the works proposed. A grant of €3.8 million is available from Minister Ring’s Department towards this part of the project.

Mad Hatters for Ebola fundraiser in Ballina

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

A Ballina woman’s close ties to Ebola-hit Sierra Leone has prompted her to stage a novel event in aid of Médecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders).

Housing improvement grants reaching critical point

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

The housing grants administered by Mayo County Council for older people, including repairs, adaptation, and mobility grants is reaching a critical point and needs to be addressed soon. That was the message given by director of services with responsibility for housing for Mayo County Council, Paul Benson. The council provided a grant of up to 75 per cent of the total costs of works carried out and has allocated €2.8 million in next year’s budget for the three schemes, however at last Monday’s budget meeting of the council Mr Benson warned there may be trouble ahead with the scheme.

He told the meeting: “There is an issue with grants and I know that councillors are aware of that and there are concerns about changes that could be made. Any changes that are to be made would go before the housing SPC and back before the full council for ratification. We were here before in 2010, where we had to make changes and we’re in that position again. The reality is that this is a demand led scheme, there is a huge demand and the cost of running the scheme exceeds what is available and unless there is a huge increase in budget we can’t possibly continue the scheme as it is operated currently.”

Poems of the late Mairéad Friel published in new book

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

A new book of poems by the late Mairéad Friel from Drummin, Westport, has just been published.

Northgate jobs on track

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

Head of the enterprise and investment unit with Mayo County Council, Joanne Grehan, told councillors this week that Northgate was still moving forward with their plans to open in Castlebar. Responding to queries from Cllr Blackie Gavin and Cllr Michael Kilcoyne at the previous meeting of the council, Ms Grehan said this week: “I know Cllr Kilcoyne and Cllr Gavin expressed some concern around those. Our update is that they are in the process of finalising the building in Castlebar and that process is moving as quickly as it can and we’re continuing to work with them. Nothing has changed in terms of number of jobs or anything, we’ll continue to update you as progress becomes apparent.”

Workshops on teen pregnancy will target boys for the first time

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

Men in Mayo who became parents in their teenage years are being called on to help encourage secondary school students across the county to seriously consider and understand the consequences of early sexual activity.

Inquest into Chada deaths opens today

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

The inquest into the deaths of Eoghan and Ruairi Chada will open this morning, November 21, at 11am at the courthouse in Castlebar. Coroner for Mayo South, John TD O’Dwyer, will oversee the inquest into the deaths of the two young boys. The boys were murdered by their father Sanjeev Chada (44 ) of Ballinkillen, Bagenalstown, County Carlow. Sanjeev Chada pleaded guilty to the murder of his sons Eoghan (10) and Ruairi (5 ) at Skehanagh Lower, Ballintubber, on July 29, 2013 at the Central Criminal Court earlier in October. Sanjeev Chada was sentenced to two life sentences for their murders.

O’Cuiv to address Castlebar FF members

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, and Community affairs Eamon O’Cuiv will be in Castlebar this evening to speak at a meeting of Fianna Fáil members in the town. The local party is expecting a large attendance at the meeting where the Galway West TD will address a number of issues. The meeting will get under way in the Welcome Inn Hotel at 9pm.

People before Profit to host meeting in Castlebar

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

A public meeting will be held by People Before Profit in Castlebar next Tuesday evening. The meeting will discuss the next steps to be taken in the Right2Water campaign along with other issues. Members of the public are encouraged to go along and have their say on the evening and join the People Before Profit Alliance if they wish.

Council to pay out €10.5 million in loan charges next year

Fri, Nov 21, 2014

Mayo County Council will pay out over €10 million in loan charges next year, the elected members of the council were told this week. Head of finance for the council, Peter Duggan, outlined the charges at Monday’s reconvened budget meeting of the council. He told the meeting: “This current budget has the provision of €10.5 million in loan charges, of those €4.3 million are recovered directly from third parties, the majority of them being Irish Water for the cost of providing the capital costs of the water sewerage services, and also there are recoupments direct from the Department of Environment, particularly in relation to our housing borrowings, they are recovered directly from the department.”