Search Results for 'Michael Holmes'

The new draft design statement for Mulranny village was given a very positive welcome by the elected members of the Belmullet electoral area committee this week. Heritage officer for Mayo County Council, Deirdre Cunningham, gave the members a presentation on the draft statement telling the members that the plan was to protect and enhance the natural environment and character of the village. She also told them that there was a large amount of community involvement in the process so far, with a public workshop being held in October of last year where members of the public were asked to come in and give their views on what direction the design statement should take.

There was disagreement among the elected members of the Belmullet electoral area committee and the planning section of Mayo County Council this week over the need for planning permission for a development in the area. The disagreement surrounded the application of John and Martina Cafferkey to retain an animal shelter, hardstanding, and an access road at Shragraddy, Bangor Erris, Ballina, Co Mayo.

The elected members of Mayo County Council welcomed the new Draft Renewable Energy Strategy this week, but they acknowledged that a lot of work still has to be done to ensure that Mayo is at the forefront of industry.

The long awaited design report for Purteen Harbour has been received from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which estimates that the development will cost €5.4 million.

An invitation will be extended to Queen Elizabeth to visit the Mayo Peace Park, if a proposed state visit to Ireland materialises in the next few years.

The problem of overgrown hedges on county roads could be alleviated by people on the Live Register being employed to cut them down, according to a local councillor speaking at a meeting this week.

Mayo County Council has agreed to invite a delegation from the Turf Cutters Association to address it at the next meeting of the local authority, after a number of councillors expressed their disgust at the recent Department of Environment directive banning turf cutting on a number of Mayo bogs. Fine Gael councillor Seamus Weir proposed the invitation, saying: “I’m asking the council to invite the members to allow the Turf Cutters Association to address us in relation to how this new legislation is going to effect them and their tradition.” His party colleague Cllr Patsy O’Brien told the members: “We need the support of all the councillors on this, the amount of natural resources being stripped away at the stroke of a pen is crazy. I’d say cutting turf is the most natural thing for the people of Mayo to do, there is going to be a revolution if this isn’t stopped.”

The state of the road surface on Main Street in Newport after the hot weather is a “total embarrassment” according to Belmullet area councillor, Michael Holmes.

The annual allowances and expenses paid to the elected members of Mayo County Council came in at just under €1.25 million for the year just gone. The €1,244,587.37 paid out was split among the 39 people who were councillors during the year. The top 10 earners collected €524,889.25 among them. The top 10 earners though does contain seven members who either retired from their seats or lost their seats in the local elections held in June last year and were entitled to gratuities for their service, as well as the two councillors who held the position of cathaoirleach during the year.

The news of a potential new outdoor multi sports facility in Belmullet was greeted warmly by the members of the Belmullet electoral area committee this week. “We have identified the potential of having a multi sports facility at the civic centre in Belmullet,” senior staff officer for Mayo County Council Padraig Brogan told the meeting. “We are looking at developing it along with the Erris No Name Club who have been very active in the area over the past number of years and have won a lot of awards for their work. The cost of the facility would be in the region of €180,000 and we are working in conjunction with them to apply for funding. We are ready to go to part eight on this, but it all depends on funding to make it possible.” Mr Brogan said the outdoor multi sports facility will also have a roof to help protect it from the elements, and it will be located on the site of the civic centre beside the play ground and tennis court that exist on the site already.