Labyrinth proposal for Arts Festival

 

Written by Cllr Keith Martin for Westport Town Council

What is required for a Westport Labyrinth?

1.     A green space or car park space large enough for the labyrinth

2.     Bark, stones, whitewash, paint or even potatoes for marking out the Labyrinth

3.     Artist’s fee and expenses

 

What is required from Westport Town Council is items 1 and 2 with the Arts Festival meeting the Artist’s fees and expenses.

 

The Labyrinth is a community project, which would invite all residents and visitors to take part in walking the Labyrinth.  It is envisioned to have the Labyrinth available in the town for the week of the Arts Festival for the public to view and use and for a special labyrinth day to be held during the festival, which would involve a large body of people in using and walking the Labyrinth.

 

Ideally the council would make available a green area such as the Fairgreen or the Park to the rear of Westport Leisure Park and the Labyrinth can be marked out by removing the turf to a depth of an inch or two and filling in this space with bark.  This is totally reversible and or can be left in place on a permanent basis. 

 

Second option is to provide a hard surface such as a car park space at the Quay Pond or Point and allow the Labyrinth to be marked out in whitewash.
Introduction to Labyrinths
A labyrinth is an ancient, sacred, archetypal pattern that has been found throughout the world in many forms and sizes.  Labyrinths have a single path to and from the centre.  Labyrinths are one of the few archetypal patterns that we can physically interact with.  Labyrinths are enjoying resurgence in popularity as tools for meditation and healing.  The process of walking the labyrinth helps many people become more centred and balanced.

Labyrinths are different from mazes. Labyrinths are unicursal, which means that they have one well-defined path that leads us into the centre and back out again. There are no dead ends or paths that divide.  A maze on the other hand is a puzzle to be solved: a left-brain task that requires an active mind, logic, analytical skills, and problem solving abilities.  A labyrinth is a right brain task involving intuition imagery and creativity.  With a labyrinth there is only one choice: the choice to enter or not.

History of Labyrinths
Labyrinths have been found in almost every part of the world and used in many cultures over the past 5,000 years.  Their origin is a mystery.  The oldest labyrinths in the world are difficult to date because they are carved into rocks mainly around the Mediterranean area and in particular Gallicia in Northern Spain and Val Camonica in Italy.  One of the oldest dateable labyrinth, found inscribed on a clay tablet from Pylos, Greece, dates back to 1200 BCE.  This labyrinth was of the seven circuit classical design, one of the two main labyrinth designs along with the Chartres labyrinth.

Irish Labyrinths
One of the oldest and most well known is the 'Hollywood Stone', which was found lying face down in a grassy lane near the village of Hollywood in County Wicklow, by some local men hunting ferrets.

Dating from around the sixth century CE, the Hollywood Stone most likely has some direct connection with the ancient pilgrimages to the monastic settlement at Glendalough.

Since December 2005, the Hollywood Stone is once again on public view in the Visitors Centre at Glendalough, after lying in storage in the National Museum in Dublin for almost twenty years

The only known non-modern medieval style labyrinth in Ireland is now mounted on the wall at the Church of St Laurence in Rathmore, County Meath.  The design of this labyrinth is similar to labyrinths found in churches around Europe.
 
Another classical design was found in the cobbled stone floor in Bridgetown House in Castletownroche, County Cork.  Unfortunately, this labyrinth is no longer
visible; essential repairs involved it being preserved underneath a new floor.

A more modern labyrinth was found in the Church of St Regnus, Burt, County Donegal.  Curious about these three seven circuit classical labyrinths in Ireland is that they are all right handed labyrinths as opposed to the more common nowadays left handed labyrinth.

Walking the Labyrinth:
People walk the labyrinth for many different reasons: For balance; to centre themselves; to increase their awareness; to connect to their higher selves; to balance their chakras, for grounding, and to bring peace.  It is usually helpful to have an intention before you walk the labyrinth.  Your intention can be looking for an answer to a question, or just seeking a way to find balance or improvement in some area of your life.  The experience of walking the labyrinth is different for everyone, and differerent each time you walk one.


Construction of a Labyrinth

They can be constructed in a number of ways.

• By cutting turf out of a grass area
• By inserting of stone slabs into grass
• By marking it with stones
• By marking it with candles
• By marking it with potatoes
• By marking it with whitewash on the grass
• By marking it with paint on stone, concrete or tarmacadam
  
  

 

FW: The Labyrinth Project

This is the press release for the Labyrinth project.  I have been involved in getting the project going and in getting the necessary support and permission from Westport Town Council for Mayo's first Labyrinth.  You can read that proposal in the post below.

Westport Arts Festival's Labyrinth Project

The Festival was establised in 1976, has been hosting and bringing to Westport some of the finest local, national and international musicians and artists. The festival is run by volunteers passionate about the arts and life.

One of the more exciting exhibitions is the Labyrinth Project by local artist Hagar which is taking place at Poll na gCapall (next to Westport Leisure Park) this Sunday at 2pm.

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol usually circular in shape that contains one path leading from the outside to the centre.  When placed on the ground the labyrinth can be used as a walking meditation. Labyrinths are a symbol of wholeness.  They can be used as a tool for self discovery, for healing, and for accessing your inner wisdom.  Unlike a maze which is designed to get you lost, a labyrinth helps you to find yourself.

The Labyrinth Project is a hands-on community project initiated by local artist Hagar to run in conjunction with Westport Arts Festival. It is the largest single artwork in the history of the Westport Arts Festival and takes up hundreds of square feet of ground to the rear of Westport Leisure Park on James Street.

According to the artist Hagar "A Labyrinth is not a maze. There are no dead ends or false paths You don't lose yourself in a Labyrinth, you find yourself! The labyrinth represents our journey to our centre and back out again."

The Labyrinth is already marked out on the field and it will be dug out before Sunday. As it is a community project everyone is welcome to help out on the Labyrinth Day (this Sunday September 2 at 2pm) to fill the Labyrinth with the bark chippings and the artist also needs wheel barrows and rakes if possible. The work is suitable for all ages to take part in or just watch the Labyrinth being marked out.

Hagar says "This is a communtiy fun day, so bring your drums, instruments, whistles, pots and pans and kids to make a lot of noise to wake the Labyrinth. But most of all bring a positive attitude and a smile. This is for you – please support it!"

The organisers would like to thank Cllr Keith Martin, Simon Wall and Eamon O'Malley from Westport Town Council for their help in faciliating the exhibition.

Finally an exhibition of works by Hagar entitled "Second Sight" is running in Westport Library in conjunction with the labyrinth project and its subject is the archetype of mandila of the collective subconiousness.

 

HAGAR 086 2620572

 

Councillor Keith Martin 086 0691182

 

Here is an upcoming Press Release on the Golf Course Road Park.   I have already made my submission to the council and want to make sure everyone has their say.  You can read my original submission here.

 

Cllr Keith Martin says persons who wish to make an observation or suggestion about Westport Town Council's plans for a park on the Golf Course Road have until Friday 14th September to make a submission to the Town Clerk.

 

Cllr Martin, who is himself a resident of the Golf Course Road, has submitted a detailed submission of his own on the plan, which was put on public display last month and proposes a playing pitch, two play areas, a large walkway and two Basketball/Volleyball courts and an informal park area.

Among Cllr Martin's suggestions are that a full traffic plan be implemented for the Fairways and school entrance and that this plan be circulated to the residents and school management.  He has asked that bollards be fitted to the Fairways pavements to prevent parking.

 

The local councillor is also calling for the park, playing courts and play areas to be lit up at night to maximise playing time and availability and to combat possible antisocial behaviour in these areas and that flood lighting be provided for the playing pitch to maximise playing time and availability.

According to Cllr Martin it is also important "That a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing be placed across the Golf Course Road to enable safe and easy access to the park from Michael Davitt Park and Parnell Court.  I have also asked that a wooden fence or boundary be erected to the rear of those houses on the bottom of Pairc na Coille to provide them with privacy from the park.

 

"Overall I am very excited and happy with what is proposed and the park with the Gaelscoil will be a fantastic asset to the Golf Course Road.  This park is a long time coming but it fulfills a commitment from the councillors to the residents of the area that I promised to keep when I was elected.

"Anyone wanting to make a submission on the proposed park should send it in writing to the Town Clerk, care of Westport Town Council or e-mail it to amooore@mayococo.ie to arrive before or on Friday 14th September."

 

 

Westport CCTV fait accompli?

 

I was surprised to see an article in the Mayo News recently about installing a CCTV system in the town,  Very surprised in fact because this was the first I was told about any such move.

 

I think this is an insult to my position as a councillor and an attempt to present CCTV as a fait accompli.  I think CCTV is over hyped as a solution to crime in particular to anti social crimes and I don't think articles should be appearing in the paper without the council having debated the issue first.

 

Here is a copy of the letter I have sent to the Mayo News.  I will be on Midwest Radio tommorrow to discuss this issue with Tommy Marren after 10am.  Tune in if you get a chance.

 

Dear Madam,

 

I am writing to you in relation to an article, which appeared in your paper (Mayo News, August 15,Westport organisations to look for 2008 funding for CCTV ) announcing the intention of the certain bodies in the town to apply for a CCTV system.

 

I would like to point out, as an elected representative for the town that I have not been consulted at any stage about such a scheme and can confirm also that the issue of CCTV has not been discussed or debated at any stage by Westport Town Council since I was elected.

 

I think the issue should be debated properly in the council chamber before the issue proceeds any further. 

 

Also some important issues to be remembered in relation to CCTV are

·        The average citizen in the UK is caught on CCTV cameras 300 times a day.

·        A report by the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (Nacro) which was based on Home Office research, revealed that of 24 studies carried out in city centres, only 13 showed crime had fallen since CCTV cameras were installed.

·        The Scottish Centre for Criminology concluded in 1999 that the powers of the cameras had been "over-hyped as a "magic bullet cure".

·         In 2005 the UK’s Home Office Report on CCTV (Home Office Research Study 292) found that “increased street-lighting was significantly more effective than CCTV in cutting crime, as well as being considerably cheaper in both capital and income terms.”

 

I have already asked Westport Town Council officials to install extra lighting at trouble spots such as the Clock and more recently Church Lane to examine its effectiveness as a deterrent. 

 

I really believe that there is no deterrent to crime better than the Guard on the street.  The ridiculous situation is that we actually have less Gardai now in Mayo than we did ten years ago.  There has been a drop of two Gardaí in Mayo since 1997 despite a massive increase in population in Mayo.  257 Gardaí were employed in the county in 1997, while 255 are currently on duty in Mayo. 

 

The Government have never delivered on its 2002 promise of 2,000 extra Gardai and are instead trying to fob us off with ineffective measures such as CCTV schemes when what we need are Gardai on the streets of Westport tackling the thugs who are ruining the quality of life in our town.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Keith Martin

Councillor

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

Mayo

086 0691182

 

 

 

Tom Chamber's new website

I would urge you all to visit Tom Chamber's new website and link to him. Tom works hard highlighting access and other issues relating to disability in Mayo.

His Website is http://thomaschambers.blogspot.com/

The Bureaucrats and the Serfs

I am dismayed at how much control over our lives is been taken away from us on a regular basis. The government has removed from control so much power from local government, health services, roads and many other aspects of our lives that we are becoming Serfs at the mercy of faceless overseers with power over our towns, roads and health.

Ireland's democracy is being curtailed on a massive basis and no-one seems to care. I have written the following letter to the local papers to highlight my concerns.


Dear Sir/Madam,

We are living in the age of the bureaucrat and the 21st Century Serf. Once we fought for our liberty and right to self determination. Now we sit back and allow ourselves to be dictated to by bureaucrats.

Only two weeks ago Mayo’s only Fianna Fail (and thus our government TD) Dara Calleary wrote in the Sunday Tribune newspaper of his frustration at trying to ask questions of the Health Minister about the HSE in the Dail.

The Minister for Health has no direct control over the HSE because Section 6 of the Health Act 2004 states that the Health Services Executive is a corporate body. So Deputy Calleary’s questions go unanswered in our national parliament.

The NRA tell us when are where our roads are going to go and when we are going to get them. The HSE tells us which Health services we will get in our area when and if it decides to supply them and it makes cut backs when and where it likes without consultation with communities or patients.

In our local government system Town, City and County Managers run our areas on a day to day basis exercising executive powers over a huge range of local authority functions.

All of these bureaucrats wield enormous power over our lives and our quality of life yet they are totally unanswerable to us as individuals or as communities.

They are appointed by central government and are answerable only to them and not to the Dail or local council.

The definition of Democracy is “Of the people, for the people, by the people” but can we apply this to life in Mayo today? Are we citizens or consumers; or worse again are we 21st century Serfs awaiting the decisions of our (government appointed) masters?


Yours sincerely

_____________
Keith Martin
Councillor

Tribute to Pat Rabbitte

Cllr Keith Martin has paid tribute to the Party’s former leader, Pat Rabbitte TD, following the Mayo man’s decision to step down as party leader.

“Pat Rabbitte has provided a steady, open and modern approach in leading the Labour Party.  At all times his honesty and integrity has shone through to make him one of the most universally respected political leaders in recent years.  I was saddened at his decision to depart the leadership, as I would have supported him for another term. 

“Deputy Rabbitte still has a lot to offer the party and the people of Ireland and I look forward to him tackling the government benches on issues such as Breast check, Broadband and the neglect of the west by this government over the last decade."

According to the Westport councillor the Westport Branch will be discussing the leadership at the upcoming September meeting where the Branch members will assess the declared candidates for the leadership. 

Cllr Martin concluded “The recently expanded Westport Branch of the Labour Party constitutes approximately 1.5% of the vote for the leadership and we will be corresponding with all declared candidates to see what there positions are on vital issues to the west of Ireland are.”

 

Yours sincerely

Councillor Keith Martin

Westport Town Council

Phone/Fax 098 24852

Mobile 086 0691182

Website www.VoteKeithMartin.com

Goodbye Pat!

Who will lead us now? Goodbye and thank you Pat for your work for the cause.

A senior Labour Party source has confirmed to ireland.com that party leader Pat Rabbitte is to resign as leader this afternoon.
The Labour Party press office announced earlier today that Mr Rabbitte would make a major announcement at a 3pm press conference.

FW: Government to blame for Mayo's Broadband woes

Government to blame for Mayo's Broadband woes

Broadband in Mayo is available at an appallingly low level and there is no-one to blame but the government who privatised Eircom says Cllr Keith Martin of Westport Town Council.

The Labour councillor says the lack of availability of broadband was laid bare by the Central Statistics Office report that access to a broadband internet connection in Mayo is only available to one in ten households.

“The importance of available broadband to the economy has been highlighted by the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland who are on record as stating that ‘affordable broadband is the key to combating questions of physical remoteness’

According to Cllr Martin “the government did not take any measures to ensure that Eircom’s new owners would ensure a steady roll out of Broadband, instead the government took the money and ran and the new owner’s stripped the company of any available asset to make their profit on the sale.  The government profited, the new owners of Eircom profited but the people in rural Ireland paid for these profits.”

Cllr Martin says that the government has refused to tackle the issue of broadband availability in rural areas such as Mayo and has instead preferred to allow market forces deal with broadband rollout. 

“This confirms what EU studies have consistently shown; that Ireland is languishing at the bottom of the European broadband league.  We only have to look at the North of Ireland, which has 100% availability of Broadband and the last international benchmarking of broadband end user figures released by the OECD ranks Ireland in 24th place out of 30 states.”

According to Cllr Martin the government must create a Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband.  This would mean accessibility to broadband networks will assume the same character as the presently understood expectation of universal access to the postal service or telephone network. The development of mechanisms for ensuring that a broadband USO is in place creates considerable potential for ensuring a widespread and universally accessible broadband network.

Cllr Martin concluded “I have written to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Eamon Ryan TD to highlight the disgraceful situation in Mayo and called upon him to implement a USO immediately.”

 

Quay Hill Path-why are we still waiting

Quay Hill path, despite promises there still has been no work done on the path. I will be following up on this issue with Mayo County Council this week. I will post their replies here for you to read. I have more protests planned on this issue.

FW: Bog Field Park submission

I have also made a detailed submission to the council on the new proposed Golf Course Road Park which is currently out for public submissions.

 

Here is a copy of my submission.

 

Bog Field Park submission

 

That provision be made to light up the park and the playing courts and playground to maximize playing time and availability and to combat possible antisocial behaviour in these areas.

 

That flood lighting be provided for the playing pitch to maximize playing time and availability.

 

That a light controlled pedestrian crossing be placed across the Golf Course Road.

 

That bollards be fitted on the Fairways pavements to prevent parking.

 

That the wall separating the park from Fairways be

• Removed
• Reduced in height by 1' 6" to allow passing motorists to see into the park and thus improve public scrutiny of the park and the activities to prevent anti-social behaviour as at present the wall is too high to allow motorists to see into the area.

 

That the walk area be concreted or covered in tarmacadam to allow for walking and pushchairs/wheelchairs.  This surface will ensure that the walkway is suitable for use all year round.

 

That a wooden fence or boundary be erected to the rear of those houses on the bottom of Pairc na Coille to provide them with privacy from the school and vice versa.

 

That the existing ESB pole currently located in the Garden of Mr Ryce Kelly's home be undergrounded as part of the school and Park project.

 

That a full traffic plan be implemented for the Fairways and school entrance and that this plan be circulated to the residents and school management.

 

Cllr Keith Martin

 

Receipt of 3 No. Submissions.

Also received the following acknowledgement from Westport Town Council in relation to my submissions on traffic in the town, the new park and the upcoming new town plan.

 

Have you had your say on these issues too?  If not now is the time!

---

From: Melvin Ann
Sent: Wed 15/08/2007 14:50
To: Cllr Keith Martin (Westport)
Subject: Receipt of 3 No. Submissions.

Cllr. Keith Martin.

 

On behalf of Ms. Ann Moore, Town Clerk, I wish to acknowledge receipt of the following submissions;

 

• Traffic Workshop Submission
• Bog Field Park Submission, and
• Town Development Plan Submission.

 

Regards.

 

Ann Melvin.

Local Government Reform Submission

**********************************************************************
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Deimhnítear leis an bhfo-nóta seo freisin go bhfuil an teachtaireacht ríomhphoist seo scuabtha le bogearraí frithvíorais chun víorais ríomhaire a aimsiú.

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by anti-virus software for the presence of computer viruses.
**********************************************************************

Received an acknowledgement today from the Dept of the Environment that my submission on Local Government reform would be considered in Minister John Gormley's Green Paper.

 

Have you had your say yet? 

 

From: Eoin Corrigan [mailto:Eoin_Corrigan@environ.ie]
Sent: Wed 15/08/2007 15:58
To: Cllr Keith Martin (Westport)
Cc: Feargal O'Coigligh
Subject: Re: Local Government Reform Submission

Dear Cllr Martin,

Many thanks for your views concerning the reform of local government.

l will ensure that your views are given consideration and thereby
contribute to the development of the Green Paper on local government
reform.

Regards,

Eoin Corrigan
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government




>>> "Cllr Keith Martin (Westport)" <kmartin@cllr.westporttc.ie>
11/08/2007 15:43:35 >>>
Submission on local government reform

By Cllr Keith Martin, Westport Town Council.

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

Mayo



Ireland has one of the weakest forms of local government in Europe.  It
is essentially a form of central government dominated local
administration, more appropriate to a colony than an independent modern
European country.



It is appalling that we have centrally appointed managers making
executive decis ties and towns instead of the
people's representatives.  This lack of accountability results in the
unelected management of local authorities being too powerful when they
really should have no power at all.  Management should be there to
manage and advise not to set policy or take decisions.



Unlike Europe local authorities in Ireland have no real say in issues
such as education, health, policing, transport and traffic which are all
vital issues which impact on everyone's day to day life.



I believe that the best government is the government which takes place
at the lowest possible and realistic level.  I believe reform of local
government is vital.



I propose the following measures as vital to any real reform

*       The position of County/City/Town Manager must be abolished and
replaced by a Chief Executive of the Council. Chief Executives will
exercise a limi nctions, similar to those which
were originally intended in the City and County Management Acts. Chief
Executives will have no policy making functions other than to assist and
advise the elected Council in the making of policy.

*       Each Local Authority must have a directly elected mayor for the
five year term of the Council with executive powers.  It is no good
directly electing a mayor who has no powers over the executive staff.
The powers of the Mayor could be tempered by the councillors.  This
office would carry with it responsibility for most decisions in
association with a small cabinet of councillors.

*       We must strengthen the role of the elected council, in order to
provide the citizen with accountable public services. Councillors will
have power to seek accountability from any agency, whether public or
private, which is providing public services in the ill have power to seek reports from service providers and to question,
in public, the appropriate managers on aspects of their service.

*       Councils should have a consumer protection role in relation to
private sector services. Private refuse collectors, telecoms, private
schools, local rail and airline services, local banks and cable TV
providers will be amenable to public questioning by the elected
representatives of the people, on their public service remit.

*       Town councils should be expanded to take in greater areas of
newly expanded housing.

*       Local government needs to be funded directly, independent of
central government with central government providing money for devolved
powers such as schools, policing, health and traffic management.



The benefits of a directly elected mayor at town and city/county level
are m nbsp;     1.      Visible and accountable leadership.
        2.      Likely to be powerful leaders by nature.
        3.      Open up politics to civic leaders and business people.
        4.      Will wield "clout" on behalf of their authority with
national government and other public and private bodies.
        5.      Transparency of the directly elected Mayor would lead to
less corruption, not more.



The current system of local government doesn't work.  It is distant,
unresponsive and unanswerable to the citizens it is supposed to serve.



We need to give authorities directly elected mayors with a mandate and
vision for their town's future, giv to effect
change and policy and remove the role of officials from policy and let
mayors make the day to day decisions based on advice from their
officials.





<mailto:eoin_corrigan@environ.ie>

Yours sincerely
Councillor Keith Martin
Westport Town Council
Phone/Fax 098 24852
Mobile 086 0691182
Website www.VoteKeithMartin.com

Letter to the Editor in Irish Independent

You can read my letter to the Irish Independent on their website here. It deals with the Aer Lingus Privatisation and its effects at Shannon.

On Mid West talking about Honours

I have just finished up chatting to Gerry Glennon on Mid West Radio about the mooting of an honours system for Ireland to reward outstanding citizens.

I don't believe in such a system as it smacks of elitism and will be bent to cronyism as soon as it is set up.

The interview was a result of the letter to the editor I wrote on the issue which you can read here.

Submission on Traffic

Here is a copy of the submission I have made on the traffic situation in Westport. These points will be discussed at our upcoming traffic meeting in September and I hope these measures will be adopted by my fellow councillors.

Traffic Workshop Submission

That John’s Row be made one way only.
That John’s Row be made residents-only parking area.
That the Crescent be made residents-only parking area.
That the area between the library and Order of Malta be marked out for parking bays and a maximum parking of an hour be enforced with an area adjacent to the library being marked out for deliveries/parking for library staff.
That the disabled bay outside the Health Centre be moved to the new (previously) agreed location.
That a sign be erected stating no cars are to pass beyond the library entrance except for access to the gatehouse.
That the double yellow lines in the Crescent and New Road be enforced twice a day.
That residents-only parking in the Crescent and Johns Row be enforced twice a day.
That bollards be erected on the pavements on the New Road and Newport Road to stop cars parking on the pavement and blocking pedestrian traffic and to stop cars using the pavement to overtake at the petrol station.
That a crack-down on parking on double yellow lines and in disabled bays be run for a month.
That parking in the Mill Street pay and display parking be free for a month as a marketing drive to encourage its use.
That a ban on Funfairs using the town’s car parks be put in place as there are plenty of privately owned and available areas within the town’s boundaries to facilitate such activities.
That Mill Street be fitted with speed control crossings.
That Altamount Street be fitted with speed control crossings.
That the double yellow lines on the Quay Road outside Centra be monitored or that the path be expanded out to remove the possibility of parking there.
That the traffic situation outside the Helm Bar be tidied up and that the path be expanded to remove the possibility of parking there.
There seems to be a culture of putting down double yellow lines but not enforcing these with fines and I want to see rigorous fines and follow up of such fines in the courts as necessary.
Traffic wardens are costing us a huge amount in remuneration and not making enough money to justify parking fines. This must change immediately.

Local Government Reform Submission

Submission on local government reform

By Cllr Keith Martin, Westport Town Council.

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

Mayo

 

Ireland has one of the weakest forms of local government in Europe.  It is essentially a form of central government dominated local administration, more appropriate to a colony than an independent modern European country.

 

It is appalling that we have centrally appointed managers making executive decisions for our cities, counties and towns instead of the people’s representatives.  This lack of accountability results in the unelected management of local authorities being too powerful when they really should have no power at all.  Management should be there to manage and advise not to set policy or take decisions.

 

Unlike Europe local authorities in Ireland have no real say in issues such as education, health, policing, transport and traffic which are all vital issues which impact on everyone’s day to day life.

 

I believe that the best government is the government which takes place at the lowest possible and realistic level.  I believe reform of local government is vital.

 

I propose the following measures as vital to any real reform

• The position of County/City/Town Manager must be abolished and replaced by a Chief Executive of the Council. Chief Executives will exercise a limited range of executive functions, similar to those which were originally intended in the City and County Management Acts. Chief Executives will have no policy making functions other than to assist and advise the elected Council in the making of policy.

• Each Local Authority must have a directly elected mayor for the five year term of the Council with executive powers.  It is no good directly electing a mayor who has no powers over the executive staff.  The powers of the Mayor could be tempered by the councillors.  This office would carry with it responsibility for most decisions in association with a small cabinet of councillors.

• We must strengthen the role of the elected council, in order to provide the citizen with accountable public services. Councillors will have power to seek accountability from any agency, whether public or private, which is providing public services in their area. Councillors will have power to seek reports from service providers and to question, in public, the appropriate managers on aspects of their service.

• Councils should have a consumer protection role in relation to private sector services. Private refuse collectors, telecoms, private schools, local rail and airline services, local banks and cable TV providers will be amenable to public questioning by the elected representatives of the people, on their public service remit.

• Town councils should be expanded to take in greater areas of newly expanded housing.

• Local government needs to be funded directly, independent of central government with central government providing money for devolved powers such as schools, policing, health and traffic management.

 

The benefits of a directly elected mayor at town and city/county level are many.

1. Visible and accountable leadership.
2. Likely to be powerful leaders by nature.
3. Open up politics to civic leaders and business people.
4. Will wield “clout” on behalf of their authority with national government and other public and private bodies.
5. Transparency of the directly elected Mayor would lead to less corruption, not more.

 

The current system of local government doesn’t work.  It is distant, unresponsive and unanswerable to the citizens it is supposed to serve.

 

We need to give authorities directly elected mayors with a mandate and vision for their town’s future, give councillors more powers to effect change and policy and remove the role of officials from policy and let mayors make the day to day decisions based on advice from their officials.

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

Councillor Keith Martin

Westport Town Council

Phone/Fax 098 24852

Mobile 086 0691182

Website www.VoteKeithMartin.com

FW: Letter to the editor

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Martin [mailto:kmartin@dna.ie]
Sent: 10 August 2007 20:16
To: 'independent.letters@independent.ie'
Subject: Letter to the editor

 

Dear Editor,

 

So it seems Privatisation doesn't work. Well not for the people in the South West of Ireland. Aer Lingus' decision to pull a profitable and vital route out of Shannon is proof of the massive flaws of privatization.

The Shannon London route was a vital piece on international infrastructure which has been destroyed for a purely capitalist pursuit of profit. There can be no doubt that there will be hundreds if not thousands of jobs lost in the coming year due to this decision.

Worse still is the silence coming from our government who own a quarter of the airline. Aer Lingus will profit from this decision but the people of Ireland will not. This is raw unrestricted capitalism at its best.

This disaster lies at the feet of Bertie Ahern and Fianna Fail.

 

Sincerely

Keith Martin

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

CO. Mayo

086 0691182 m

098 25747 w

 

 

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

 

Dear Editor,

 

Bertie Ahern has once again mooted the idea of an honours system for Ireland.  He draws a comparision between Ireland the UK when it comes to honouring people.  

 

It should be remembered that the UK is a Constitutional Monarchy whereas we are proud Republics.  The UK allows the Queen to honour her subjects and as a Republic we have such system here in Ireland.  

 

Nor should there be.

 

There are two very good reasons for this.  One is that outstanding individuals in Irish society have always been recognised by their fellow citizens, whether they are Padraig Harrington or the Westport Utd FAI Champions.  The victory or achievement or good deed is its own reward and we Irish never forget a legendry performance.

 

Secondly how many 'outstanding' citizens would we have had to strip of their honours had we such a system here?  Certainly Charles J Haughey would have had to hand back any award Bertie may have given him. 

 

Bertie Ahern should remember that in the UK Lester Piggott lost his knighthood for tax evasion.  Need I say more?

 

Yours sincerely

 

Keith Martin

Councillor

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

Mayo

086 0691182

My submission on the new Town Plan

The town plan is due to be redrawn this year. Everyone has until the second week of September to get their inital submissions into the council. Please write to the Town Clerk with your suggestions. Submissions can be made in writing to Town Clerk, Westport Civic Offices, Westport, Mayo or via e-mail to amoore@mayococo.ie

Have your say in your town's future.


Town Development Plan Submission

Shopping
That Westport Town Council continue to promote business and commercial activity in the centre of the town and that large scale retail development take place within the town core.

Housing
That one bedroom apartments be discouraged in favour of family sized units of three or more bedrooms.

That minimum sizes be set for apartment rooms (as is being done in Dublin City).

That flat roof designs for homes be prevented in future as it is unsightly and not in keeping with the town.

That wooden facing for homes be prevented in future as it is unsightly and not in keeping with the town.

Building height will not exceed three storeys above ground level.

That parking be increased to 1.5 car spaces for every dwelling unit.

Land Zoning
That the zoning D in place over the Bank of Ireland Garden be changed to E

That the P3 proposed car park specific objective be removed from the Bank of Ireland garden.

That a suitable area of land be identified for zoning as F for community facilities.

Specific Objectives

That the Point at the Quay be returned to a bathing area and that facilities such as changing huts and showers be provided to encourage and facilitate swimming and aquatic activities.

That the town’s pavements and paths continue to be upgraded to comply with disability access objectives.

That an inventory of the town’s heritage objects be undertaken and that this be included in this development plan.

That a community building and park area be put in place for the Quay area along the lines of the Golf Course Road scheme.

That the McConville Park area be upgraded to similar standards.

Submission on Golf Course Road Park.

This is my submission to Westport Town Council on the proposed new park for the Golf Course Road Westport in the field known as the Bog Field. I warmly welcome the development and have been involved in the planning from its inital proposal.

I have made the following observations which I feel are necessary to ensure maximum and best use of the new park.

That provision be made to light up the park and the playing courts and playground to maximize playing time and availability and to combat possible antisocial behaviour in these areas.

That flood lighting be provided for the playing pitch to maximize playing time and availability.

That a light controlled pedestrian crossing be placed across the Golf Course Road.

That bollards be fitted on the Fairways pavements to prevent parking.

That the wall separating the park from Fairways be Removed or Reduced in height by 1’ 6” to allow passing motorists to see into the park and thus improve public scrutiny of the park and the activities to prevent anti-social behaviour as at present the wall is too high to allow motorists to see into the area.

That the walk area be concreted or covered in tarmacadam to allow for walking and pushchairs/wheelchairs. This surface will ensure that the walkway is suitable for use all year round.

That a wooden fence or boundary be erected to the rear of those houses on the bottom of Pairc na Coille to provide them with privacy from the school and vice versa.

That the existing ESB pole currently located in the Garden of Mr Ryce Kelly’s home be undergrounded as part of the school and Park project.

That a full traffic plan be implemented for the Fairways and school entrance and that this plan be circulated to the residents and school management.

Pictures from 2007 Covie Week

 
 

Above are two nice picutres of Liamy MacNally and Jackie Foley RIP. Liamy is trying to get Jackie to sing a song for us.

Jackie Foley sings during Covie Week 2007

The late great Jackie Foley sings a song during Covie Week 2007 in Westport. I recorded this on my phone.

Sadly Jackie has recently passed on and is sorely missed by all who knew him but the fond memories we have for him will last and last.