Merry Christmas to one and all!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas! Stay safe!

My Resolution passed by Westport Town Council

Westport Town Council has called on the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD to protect the Cregganbaun and Doolough region from mining.

A motion proposed by Labour's Cllr Keith Martin and supported by Sinn Fein's Cllr Dave Keating was adopted unanimously by the council at this week's December meeting of Westport Town Council.

In the resolution the area is described as one of "great national and international significance as an environmentally sensitive, culturally and religiously important area" and highlighted the intrinsic value of the area as a tourism feature.

The resolution also lends its support to the concerns of local groups opposed to the Mining.

Speaking on the motion Cllr Martin said that the motion spoke for itself adding that he believed that the proposed for a small scale "seven dwarf type mine" was a front for the introduction of whole scale mining in the area. Cllr Dave Keating said that the proposal by the mining company was for a tourism mine which he described as an Oxymoron.

At the request of Cllr Martin a copy of the resolution is being sent by Westport's Town Clerk to Minister Ryan.

a) That this Council, whilst welcoming sustainable and environmentally friendly development, industry and the harnessing of natural resources, which leads to job creation and investment in and around Westport, shares the concerns of the interested parties such as Mayo Environmental Group and Westport Tourism Organisation in relation to the proposal to mine for gold in the Cregganbaun and Doolough region and calls upon the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD to protect this area of great national and international significance as an environmentally sensitive, culturally and religiously important area with a massive intrinsic tourism value.

Invite to Join The Party

Its that time of the year! Party time, not political party but just party.The Westport Branch of the Party is inviting all its members, friends and supporters (that's you) to our Christmas Party in Henehan's Bar Bridge Street on Friday December 14th at 8pm.

Last year's party was great fun and the special attraction was the recognition of the decades of work by Labour Party stallwart Michael Joe Lavelle. An inscribed crystal bowl was presented to Michael Joe on behalf of the branch by Emmet Stagg TD who also presented Michael Joe with a letter of appreciation from Party Leader Pat Rabbitte.

This year there will be food, music, a raffle and maybe even a spot of Karaoke. All are welcome so please come along and join the party!

Weasel Words from Mayo's Gold Limited

Councillor Keith Martin of Westport Town Council has accused Mayo's Gold Limited, the company behind the proposed Gold Mine at Creggaunbaun, near Louisburgh, of being deliberately misleading as to the size and scale of the proposed mine.

Cllr Martin says that when the mine was first mooted by Mayo’s Gold Limited it was described by the company as ‘seven dwarf type tourist operation’ and as a “tourism product based around a show mine, producing a small amount of gold. The company went on to state categorically that “This is not a commercial venture.”

The company also claimed that they would be seeking ‘international geopark status’ for the region, which would brand it as a geological area of international significance.

According to the Labour Party councillor these are nothing but “weasel words” designed to “soften opposition to the project which is to be used as the thin end of a wedge to establish a full size mining operation close to Croagh Patrick.”

Cllr Martin says “In the local media Mayo’s Gold Limited is talking about the seven dwarfs and a tourism mine while in the national papers they are talking about raising €25 million to set it up. That’s some seven dwarf mine that costs €25 million! When you then hear that they are exploring an area the size of 135 townlands in Louisburgh and expect to find a possible yield of €3.4 billion you know that this is a serious operation designed to bring in whole-scale Gold mining by the back door into a environmentally sensitive, culturally and religiously important area with a massive tourism value as it is.

“This company must think the people of West Mayo don’t read the national newspapers! This isn’t Killinaskully and the people of the area won’t be fooled by weasel words or the promises of the company. The people say no to Gold mining in Mayo and no to Mayo’s Gold Limited. They said it twenty years ago when mining was first proposed and they are saying it again.”