Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

 

Dear Editor,

 

The proposal by Mayo's Gold to mine in and around the area of Croagh Patrick sends a shiver down my spine.

 

There can be no doubt that the current proposal for a a niche tourism gold mine in Cregganbaun, and an interpretative visitor centre in Louisburgh is just the thin edge of the wedge when it comes to wholescale gold mining in the area. 

 

The area concerned is a site of great natural beauty and is in the environs of the mountain of Croagh Patrick which is a tourist attraction and the location of the famous annual pilgrimage of Reek Sunday.  The areas applied for also include a dedicated Special Area of Conservation.

 

Mining of any form is an intrusive procedure which always produces noise pollution, dust pollution and visual pollution while causing habitat destruction and destruction or disturbance of ecosystems.

 

In the interest of preserving the area's natural integrity, of preserving it as a tourist feature and a place of religious significance I have objected to this licence with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and called on the Minister to reject this application and protect and preserve the area for all time.

 

May I strongly urge all your readers to do the same.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

_____________

Keith Martin

Councillor

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

Mayo

 086 0691182

 

 

Westport supports Shell to Sea

At the 2007 Labour Party Conference in Wexford the Westport Branch of the Labour Party voted in support of a motion, moved by UCD and Dublin South branches calling for the Shell project to be moved off shore and for the terms of the agreement, whereby the state makes nothing in revenue and does not receive a discounted price on the gas to be re-negotiated.
The motion noted that the land of local residents had been handed over to Shell by compulsory purchasing orders to procure the pipeline's construction. It went on to list negative aspects of the project, and noted that governments led by Fianna Fáil had given corporations involved up to 100 per cent tax write-off.
Labour energy spokeswoman Liz McManus agreed that issues of exploration and royalties were important, but she warned delegates that accepting the motion, as it was drafted, would leave the State open to the risk of paying enormous compensation to a private oil company.
Ms McManus then suggested that a working party be set up to consider all the issues involved, including the impact on local communities. Ms McManus's proposal was carried by 99 votes to 73 on a show of hands.

€4 Billion underspend is repugnant!

Labour’s Cllr Keith Martin denounced the Government’s €4,000,000,000 under-spend in the Boarder Midland and West (BMW) Region from the podium of the 2007 Labour Party Conference which took place last weekend in Wexford.

Cllr Martin was proposing a motion from the Westport Branch, for adoption by the Party, condemning the billions of euros that have been unspent by the Government in the BMW. Addressing the conference delegates Cllr Martin said “in bad times the West suffered because there was no money. It is repugnant that in this time of prosperity that we suffer still” adding that “the figures concerned speak louder than words.”

Cllr Martin concluded that the it was deplorable that billions of euro of funding was being returned unspent while “vital West of Ireland infrastructural projected directly affecting jobs, capital investment and quality of life were being left on the drawing boards.”

Cllr Martin was one of the group of Mayo delegates attending the Labour Party’s annual conference.

The Westport Branch’s motion was part of the composite motion on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs which was adopted by the Labour Party. The motion dealt with the government’s failure to redress the continuing decline of rural communities, especially on the Western seaboard, its failure to invest in the BMW and committed the Labour Party to developing a comprehensive rural policy which would ensure that the Party shook off its ‘urban only’ perception and reaffirmed its relevance in rural life and politics.

The motion was proposed by Cllr Keith Martin on behalf of the Westport Branch and Seconded by the Glenties Branch in Donegal South West.

While at the conference Cllr Martin met with Deputy Jack Wall, Labour’s Spokeperson on Community and Rural Affairs, to discuss the issue of the €4 Billion underpsend as well as community and rural affairs in the Westport area. Cllr Martin will be meeting with Deputy Wall in the New Year to discuss Labour’s policies and initiatives concerning farming, rural communities and investment in the West.

Cllr Martin also met with fellow Mayo man and Labour Party Chief Whip Deputy Emmet Stagg to discuss the Westport Branch’s development and the promtion of the Labour Party in Mayo. Deputy Stagg and Cllr Martin also discussed the local elections which will take place in a little over 18 months time.

During the conference Cllr Martin took part in the AGM of the National Association of Labour Councillors which was addressed by Sentor White and Deputy Ciaran Lynch Spokesperson on Local Government.

The Mayo Delegates also took place in the elections for the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee which oversees, directs and co-ordinates the policies, organisation and affairs and activities of the Party.

Up at the Labour Party Conference in Wexford. I read the Westport Motion to conference which was adopted by the delegates. It was a motion condemning the four billion euro under spend in the Boarder Midland and Western Region and was part of a larger motion on Community and Rural affairs. We are also up here from the Westport Branch to push for a Labour Party National Conference in Mayo to be held in Castlebar hosted by the Westport and Castlebar Branch. As i am posting this entry from the conference hall i must sign off now. I will post a proper report later on. Slan for now.

Fair play, Fair pay, Fair Trade- Westport as a Fairtrade Town

The Fairtrade market in Ireland is now worth over €11.6million yearly and supermarkets are continuously changing to meet these needs. Marks and Spencer’s sells only Fairtrade tea and coffee, SuperQuinn sells only Fairtrade bananas, Tesco has up to 70 Fairtrade products available, Robert Roberts are changing all their tea and coffee to Fairtrade, Lidl have their own Fairtrade brand and the list goes on.

But it’s not just the big chains who are doing their bit. From 2005 shops in Westport have begun stocking Fairtrade Products as part of their support for the Fairtrade Town Project for Westport. In fact if it wasn't for the support of shops like Sean O'Connor's Supervalu, Ylang Ylang, Hoban's Centra Stores, Nicola's Food Emporium, Country Fresh and many, many more, Westport would not have achieve Fairtrade Status earlier this year.

Many more towns are now working to achieve Fairtrade status and with the increased awareness and increased demand for Fairtrade products we are guaranteeing a fair deal for more third world producers.

Recently members of the Westport Fairtrade Steering committee attended the annual Fairtrade Workshop in Dublin Castle. There they heard Sergio Allard Director of Los Robles Fairtrade Wine speak of the benefits Fairtrade had on his community and on his business. Sales have doubled since Los Robles achieved Fairtrade status, which more importantly has improved the quality of life for all the people of Curico, not just the employees. Los Robles have set up a bus service for all the local children to attend school as before the might not be picked up by the public bus service as their fare was not as high as an adults fare. Scholarships are been offered to children who can’t afford further education, these children often become graduates and return to Curico and provide healthcare and other facilities that would not have bee n possible without the premium that Fairtrade guarantees. Poverty in Chile has reduced from 39-13% in the last 10 years and with the help of Fairtrade Sergio hopes this can be reduced even further. Today Fairtrade wines can be bought in a number of outlets in Westport including Dunnes, Supervalu, and Jim McLoughlins.

Westport will be renewing their Fairtrade status this December and according to Edel Hackett the Westport Fairtrade Committee would like to thank everyone for their help so far but also encourage more to get involved.

According to Cllr Keith Martin of the Westport Fairtrade Committee "the possibilities are endless and so simple. Next time you eat a banana, drink tea, eat rice, ask yourself where did it come from. By choosing Fairtrade you are not only helping Third world producers but you are also helping yourself as less fertilizers and sprays are used on Fairtrade products making it safer for you, your family and the producers family."

You can help by buying Fairtrade products, asking your local shopkeeper to stock more Fairtrade products, making your organization a Fairtrade orgnisation, serve Fairtrade Tea and coffee, organising information nights, joining your local Fairtrade group.”

For information on Westport’s Fairtrade group contact ehackett@eircom.net or visit www.fairtradewestport.netfirms.com

Faulty Street Light?

If you have a faulty street light in Westport please report it immediately.

You can do so by calling 1850 372 772; by texting 087 9283534; by email to publiclight@mayococo.ie

You can also notify the council in writing by writing to

Public Lighting Section
Mayo County Council
Aras an Chontae
The Mall
Castlebar
Mayo

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE

The Labour Party Conference is this weekend in Wexford. The Westport Branch are
sending three voting delegates to vote on motions and to elect the NEC for the
coming two years.

Westport's Carers need to be cared for by Government

Caring for a relative can be a stressful and traumatic experience. The Government should do its best to help. I am upset at how many people are left caring for others and are given no support due to a means test. Anyone who cares deserves the backup of a Carer's allowance.

How many of these allowances could be paid out of Bertie Ahern's self granted pay rise?


Who deserves the money more? Bertie Ahern? or the carers in Westport?


For more information on applying for a Carer's allowance click here you can also contact me and I will be happy to help.





This is a press relase on the issue I am sending out today.


News


Councillor Keith Martin says that the predicament of carers in Westport and across the country needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Cllr Martin says that in order to do so the Government must scrap the means test for carers' allowance.
"According to official statistics there are over 160,000 people in Ireland providing unpaid help for a family member or friend with a disability or health problem. The person being cared for could be a child with a physical or mental disability, a stroke victim or an incapacitated elderly relative.
"In many cases this unpaid care is being provided 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. In some cases a person may be caring for more than one dependent. They have only one guarantee this Christmas and that it is that they will be working Christmas Day. There are 208 carers in the Westport area saving vast amounts of money for the State and once again the vital role they play in local community health care has yet to be fully recognised. CSO figures released last week showed that of the two hundred and eight carers in the Westport area, sixty six of them work for more than forty three hours per week
"The abolition of the means test is not the only step to improve the lives of carers, who provide such an important service to families and communities throughout Ireland. The Government must develop a comprehensive Carers Strategy, and develop a consistent and comprehensive system of needs assessment.
"Carers are saving the state huge costs that would arise if those being cared for had to seek residential care, but they get little or no recognition from the state. I believe that it is time to end the shameful neglect of the country's carers."