Happy hearts this weekend

Fri, May 16, 2014

The Irish Heart Foundation, which is celebrating 25 years of its Happy Hearts Appeal, will have volunteers selling happy hearts at shopping centres and supermarkets across Mayo today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday).

Disability Federation of Ireland calls on candidates to sign pledge

Fri, May 16, 2014

The Disability Federation of Ireland which represents more than 150 disability organisations in Ireland and lobbies on behalf of the almost 600,000 people with disabilities in Ireland has launched a pre-election campaign called ‘leave nobody behind’. The pledge the federation wants candidates to sign states that if the candidate gets elected “I will work consistently to ensure that Ireland, as a matter of urgency has a credible and functioning infrastructure of services and supports available to people with disabilities as a necessary part of Ireland’s recovery programme. I will do this through advancing the implementation of the top election priorities as set out by the Disability Federation of Ireland.”

Charity walk on Clare Island for Western Care Association

Fri, May 16, 2014

Details of the 2014 Clare Island Charity Walk were announced at the launch in Walshe’s Bridge Inn, Newport this week. This, the seventh year of this great walking event, will take place on Saturday, June 28 and all funds raised will go to Western Care Association local services. Speaking at the launch Clare Island Walking Committee chairman, Willie Murphy, stated that he and his committee are delighted to be supporting Western Care Association this year. Western Care is a community based organisation that provides support to more than 1,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families throughout County Mayo. The Annual Clare Island Charity Walk has grown from strength to strength over the years and the hard working committee have raised in excess of €100,000 for local and regional charities and causes over the past six years. It provides a great opportunity to visit the idyllic Clare Island and experience the beauty and scenery of the island and Clew Bay.

RDP signifies major investment in rural Ireland - Mulherin

Fri, May 16, 2014

Mayo Fine Gael Deputy Michelle Mulherin, has welcomed this week’s announcement by Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Simon Coveney of a €4 billion Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. Deputy Mulherin said: “Today’s announcement of €4 billion for the Rural Development Programme (RDP) represents a significant investment in rural Ireland and will be a real boost for Mayo. The economic recovery is well under way in Dublin, thanks to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, however many people in rural Ireland are still struggling.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to making the recovery local and ensuring that all counties across Ireland will benefit. Measures contained in today’s RDP announcement represent a significant investment in rural Ireland and in the agri-food sector in particular. Over the lifetime of the RDP €1,450 million will be invested in the Agri- Environment Scheme (GLAS). This will provide for a maximum payment of €5,000 for up to 50,000 farmers and it is anticipated that some 25,000 - 30,000 farmers will be accepted into the scheme in 2015. In addition to the basic GLAS, farmers who take on particularly challenging environmental actions may qualify for a top up payment of up to €2,000 per annum under GLAS+.”

County council announces new writer in residence

Fri, May 16, 2014

Celebrated actor, writer, and lecturer, Diarmuid de Faoite has been announced as the Mayo County Council Writer in Residence for 2014.

Entries sought for Mayo FBD Young Farmer of the Year

Fri, May 16, 2014

The 16th FBD Young Farmer of the Year competition has been launched and young farmers in Mayo who are actively involved in the running of a farm, full or part time, are invited to apply. A county winner will be chosen who will go through to the All-Ireland final in September. The competition was launched by organisers, Macra na Feirme, sponsor FBD, and partner, the IFA.

Mayo Volunteer Centre open day

Fri, May 16, 2014

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, Mayo Volunteer Centre is hosting an open day at its offices today (May 16) from 10am to 4pm.

Charity regulator role for Cynthia Clampett

Fri, May 16, 2014

Mayo Roscommon Hospice CEO, Cynthia Clampett, is one of 16 appointments on the board of the Charities Regulatory Authority, which is being set up later this year.

Wild West shoot-out expected in West Mayo

Fri, May 16, 2014

There’s no area in Mayo that can be easily called as to where the seats will be divided out in next week’s local elections, but the new West Mayo area is probably the hardest. The re-drawing of the boundaries last year has seen the old Westport and Belmullet areas thrown together into one giant swathe of land that stretches right from the northern tip of the county right down the west coast to the Galway border. Currently there are eight councillors sitting in the two areas and this time out there are only seven seats up for grabs in the new giant district.

Of the current eight sitting councillors, five are running again; the Fine Gael trio of Johnny O’Malley, Gerry Coyle, and Austin Francis O’Malley, Sinn Fe?in’s Rose Conway-Walsh, and independent Michael Holmes. The three stepping aside are Fine Gael’s Peter Flynn, and Fianna Fa?il duo Margaret Adams and Miche?al McNamara. The five sitting councillors are joined by 12 more candidates looking for the nod, with Fianna Fa?il running six more: current Westport town councillor Brendan Mulroy, Joan Geraghty, Tommy Joe Jennings, Paul McNamara, Sean Carey and Frank Leneghan. Fine Gael have Westport Town Councillor Teresa McGuire and Breege Grealis also on their ticket, while Green Party candidate Caroline Fitzgerald along with independents Christy Hyland (a current Westport town councillor and a former Fine Gael member), Joe Lavelle and Michael O’Donnell complete the ballot paper.

On the canvass with.... Joan Geraghty (Fianna Fáil)

Fri, May 16, 2014

The sun was shining on the streets of Westport on Tuesday evening, when the Mayo Advertiser met up with one of the new faces trying to make her mark on the door steps and get a seat on Mayo County Council for the first time. Joan Geraghty is well known to the readers of this paper, having worked here as the acting editor of the paper in recent years and previously worked as a journalist for a number of years in The Mayo News. Her experience in seeing how the council works at close quarters over those years is one of the reasons that she decided to put herself forward for election for the first time.

TEN QUESTIONS WITH.......

Fri, May 16, 2014

(1) Why are you running? I’m a new face, with new talent, I’m hard working. I will try to do things different from the others who are there already.

Matt Carthy calls for community concerns to be addressed in pylon review

Fri, May 16, 2014

The Sinn Féin candidate for the Midlands Northwest European constituency, Matt Carthy, has called for the independent expert panel on pylons to listen to the voice of local residents. Speaking following the publication of the Terms of Reference of the review of the Grid West and Grid Link projects, Carthy said, “It is essential that the concerns of communities affected by pylons are addressed by the independent expert panel. Under the terms of reference, the independent expert panel will examine the potential environmental impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors in regards to placing electric transmission lines overhead or underground. However, it is disappointing to learn that the potential impacts of Electro Magnetic Fields will not be taken into consideration by the independent expert panel.”

He added: “For the public to have confidence in the outcome of this review, the uncertainties that communities have expressed about the erection of pylons must be addressed. The independent expert panel must also look at the long-term impact of the project when examining the cost of underground versus overhead lines. The long term economic impact for the state in erecting pylons through a vast corridor of its countryside must be reviewed as this will surely have an impact on an important industry, tourism.”

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