Search Results for 'Michael Holmes'

Independent councillor Michael Holmes has hit out at the Government for its decision to slash the €200,000 it had allocated for upgrading the Castlebar to Belmullet road. The funding was granted in February of this year under the Strategic Regional and Roads Grant scheme. However the decision to cut it was announced only a matter of weeks later, in the 2009 Budget.

Councillor Michael Holmes has strongly criticised the Minister for Agriculture for holding up work on the Belmullet Sewerage Scheme, and accused him of using delay tactics in order to avoid paying out. According to regulations, a foreshore licence must be obtained from the Department of Agriculture before work can commence on the project. However, Holmes stated that they are still awaiting the issue of this licence despite having applied for it almost a year and a half ago.

The tricolour was held high in the Ruby Room of the TF Royal Theatre on Sunday after the last Belmullet electoral area seat was taken by Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway Walsh. This resulted in the loss of outgoing Fianna Fáil councillor Tim Quinn’s seat. He topped the polls in 2004 with first preference votes, while against the county trend Fine Gael failed to secure the three seats which it was contending.

Before Cllr Joe Mellett had even handed over the Cathaoirleach’s chain to incoming Cathaoirleach for the next 12 months, Cllr John Cribben, independent Castlebar based Cllr Frank Durcan fired his first warning shot across the bows of the new council. Cllr Durcan told the meeting, “In the interests of transparency and accountability, I would call that the salaries of the Cathaoirleach, the leas Cathaoirleach and all the committee chairpersons be given to the general public”. Cllr Durcan’s call was seconded by fellow independent Cllr Gerry Ginty from Ballina.

The Government’s decision to close REPS 4 and accept no further applications will be the death knell of farming in Mayo according to Independent councillor Michael Holmes.

The elected members of Mayo County Council paid glowing tributes to departing county manager Des Mahon at his final meeting before he retired from his position. The Roscommon native who has held the position since July 1990 was given a standing ovation by those in the chamber when he spoke at the end of the meeting last Monday.

Figures released by Mayo County Council under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed that Mayo county councillors were paid out €836,212 from January to the end of June 2009, all relating to the six months pre-election. Independent Castlebar Councillor Frank Durcan who sought this information said that these figures are “immoral in the times that are in it”.