Music making grants awarded

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Two bands have won grants from Mayo County Council to record their music.

Anti-pylon group create Christmas cards

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

The Knockmore-Ballina Action Committee against plyons created Christmas cards for this year’s Christmas season, to raise awareness of their fight against the proposed over grounding of 440kv power lines in the area. In the group’s statement on their cards they address the county’s TDs, county councillors, county manager, and the other influence makers around the project. In their message they say: “We wish you a happy Christmas and live in hope that all of you will come to understand the connection between commercial wind farms, ugly substations, grotesque giant pylons, dangerous high voltage lines, and rural decimation. The effects of this proposed, ugly, giant, metallic zip in the Moy Valley will be devastating. For what? The delivery of costly, intermittent, and unreliable electricity that is not needed, is paid for in our bills and taxes, and carried on the backs of vibrant rural communities whose very continuity will be threatened. That kind of electricity has about as much chance of drawing in new industry as fully paid bond holders have of taking a retrospective haircut.

Ring welcomes continued Westdoc funding for Achill and Erris areas

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring this week warmly welcomed the decision that funding for Westdoc in the Achill and Erris Area will be continued in 2014 from the Onerous Rota Fund to Achill and Erris GPs.

Returning emigrants being denied driving licence before they return home, despite EU law — O’Mahony

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Fine Gael TD for Mayo and chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications John O’Mahony has called for the driving licence service to enable emigrants to renew their driving test ahead of their return home so that their licence will be ready for them when they return. “Following questions I put to Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, in Dáil Eireann, I have received confirmation from the Department of Transport that EU licensing laws require that people returning for a job or third level education place should be allowed to renew their driving licence from abroad. However the Irish driving licence system is currently not facilitating people who are applying for driving licences from abroad. Under the Irish system they can only renew it by appearing in person which means that they must go back to the process, do the test and theory test. EU law outlines that to be entitled to a licence, you must be ‘normally resident’ in the country granting the licence. However licences should be provided on receipt of a letter from an employer stating that he or she is working on a fixed term contract/placement; correspondence from the college/university confirming the title and duration of the course he or she is studying; evidence of being ‘normally resident’ in Ireland: This could be by way of the person’s address on a recent utility bill, a statement from a financial institution, correspondence from a State Department or Agency. Irish people who are planning to return home are being incorrectly denied the opportunity to apply for their driving licence from abroad. I call on the driving licence service to immediately change their policy in relation to facilitating the provision of driving licences for returning emigrants. We need to encourage Irish people to return home not drive them away.”

Mulherin welcomes €2.4 million to restore N59 between Crossmolina and Bellacorick

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Michelle Mulherin, Mayo Fine Gael TD, has welcomed the funding announcement of €2.4 million to restore the N59 between Crossmolina and Bellacorick. She said: "The €2.4 million funding will be used to restore the N59 between Crossmolina, through Carrowkilleen, Dooleeg, and to the far side of Bellacorrick. This is very good news for all those who use the N59 which has suffered severe wear and tear due to the heavy traffic, to and from the Corrib gas project, and the installation of the Bord Gáis pipeline, over recent years. I am delighted that €2.4 million in funding is being made available by the NRA, having raised the issue with the Minister for Transport and Tourism Leo Varadkar in the Dail and asked him the plans and priority he, and the National Roads Authority had, to bring the entire section of this road up to standard. This road is the main artery for business and tourism between Ballina and Belmullet and Erris and I am delighted to have been able to help bring about this substantial investment in this road.”

O'Mahony welcomes life-saving organ donations reforms in HSE Service Plan

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Fine Gael TD for Mayo, John O’Mahony, has welcomed the measures announced in the HSE Service Plan which will see €3 million per year provided for organ donations. This follows on from, and will make practicable, the legislation proposed by Minister for Health James Reilly which aims to ensure that people have to opt out of donating their organs upon their death, rather than opt in. Deputy O’Mahony has lobbied intensively for the legislation to be introduced and for the funding to back it up. This was alluded to by former Gaelic footballer, Joe Brolly, and his friend Shane Finnegan in their statement welcoming the development which said:

Warm welcome from politicians for animal welfare funding

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

There was a strong welcome from a number of politicians for funding for four animal welfare groups in the county which was announced this week. Michelle Mulherin TD said: “I am delighted that the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Deputy Simon Coveney, has confirmed that his Department has awarded funding totalling €46,400 to Mayo-based animal welfare organisations. The successful organisations are the North West SPCA, which was awarded €26,600, Mayo Animal Welfare, awarded €3,000, Mayo SPCA €9,800, and Ainmhithe Animal Rescue, which was awarded €7,000. These are the foremost west of Ireland-based organisations delivering animal care and welfare services and their importance is recognised by today’s decision.”

The Neale scholar remembered

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Fr Seán Farragher, who died earlier this month, has been described as a ‘a giant of scholarship’ by the principal of Blackrock College, Dublin.

Castlebar’s festive bling in numbers

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

The elaborate festive lights display on The Mall, Castlebar, has generated plenty of buzz this year from shoppers, visitors, and locals alike.

Asylum support group gets funding

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

A voluntary group that helps 250 asylum seekers living in The Old Convent, Ballyhaunis, is to get EU funding of almost €90,000.

Thirty checkpoints every day

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

A Garda clampdown on the roads this Christmas is seeing up to 30 checkpoints a day operating across the county.

Broadband speed boost with gas pipeline decision

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Broadband speeds in the county are to increase and could help Mayo attract more new industries.

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