Mags Murphy Press release

Pictured above at recent meeting in Westport of Labour's Mayo Consituency Council meeting is Chairman Sean Sammon, Campaign Officer Mags Murphy, Constituency Secretary David Fallon and Cllr Keith Martin.

Micheal D Higgins TD and Cllr Keith Martin protest means test for over 70s medical cards

Pictured here is Labour's Maria Parodi, Party President Michael D Higgins TD and Cllr Keith Martin outside Dail Eireann at the Irish Senior Citizens Parliment Protest at the introduction of means testing for the over 70s Medical Card.

Welcome for new information centre

Cllr Keith Martin, Labour's county council candidate for Westport, has warmly welcomed the planned Citizen's Information Service (CIS) Office for Westport, which is due to open in December.

According to the Labour councillor "The new office will allow the CIS to provide information, advice and advocacy services in Westport on a part-time basis, from a permanent office on James Street. 

"Westport Town Council granted planning permission in August to Mayo Citizen's Information Service Ltd for the conversion of the building from a medical surgery to an office and, dependent on construction time, the office is due to be open by December.

"This is good news for Westport as the CIS provides free, impartial and confidential information on an one-to-one basis on subjects such as Employment Rights, Consumer Affairs, Social Welfare, Health, Disability Information, Taxation, Family Issues and Housing.  Importantly all the information provided is confidential.

 

"For years Westport has lagged behind other Mayo towns in relation to these kind of services and I am delighted to see a permanent office for the Citizens Information Service here in Westport and I am sure there will be a huge demand for its services" concluded Cllr Martin.

Westport Town Council funding cut-rate increase likely

Labour's county council candidate for the Westport Electoral Area says Westport Town Council will have tough decisions to make in regard to its Budget following the announcement by Environment Minister John Gormley that local authorities are to have their budgets cut back by almost seven per cent.

 

According to Cllr Keith Martin the cut represents "a massive attack on councils who are already struggling to cover the cost of the demands placed on them as the economy slips into recession.  As building activity continues to dwindle, development levies have all but dried up as a source of funding for local authorities so the crisis is even greater that it might appear at first.

 

"Westport Town Council has been allocated a budget which is 6.93% less than last years allocation, couple this with inflation and a decline in revenue from other areas and Westport will be facing into a tough time when it comes to setting a rate for 2009.

"This cutback can only be interpreted as a savage assault on local government and on local democracy. Minister Gormley came to office promising both local government reform, and equitable funding for our councils. It is now clear that he can deliver on neither."

"Because the Minister has cut our funding we have to look at cutting our cloth and at areas where we can raise more revenue to make up for this shortfall and the rate of inflation.  Tough decisions will have to be made by the nine councillors and we have to strike a balance between protecting vital services and keeping the rate on businesses as low as possible."

Government must not increase class sizes

Labour's county council candidate for the Westport Electoral Area Cllr Keith Martin says "one of most distressing cutbacks announced in the Budget this week is the Government decision to increase class sizes.

 

According to Cllr Martin "This is the latest instalment in class sizes when back in 2002 the Government made a commitment to reduce class sizes to 20, which was then raised to 24 in 2007 and now to 28 in 2008.
 

"It is unfair of the Government to make children, their parents and teachers suffer for the Government's mismanagement of the economy.  If class sizes are increased, teachers will be stretched to the limit, pupils will be given less time with the teacher and the quality of their education will suffer. To even suggest it in this day and age is outrageous particularly after all the boom years. These cuts will cause damage to our education system and will jeopardise the future prospects of our children. The Government must reverse its decision to increase class sizes and look at making savings elsewhere."

 

"It is bad enough that we still have schools which are not fit for purpose but to cramp these overcrowded rooms and prefabs with more children while reducing the number of teachers is a Kamikaze attitude to education.  Its bad enough that the Government are dragging their feet in providing new schools here in Westport without them forcing even more children with less teachers into the existing buildings.  It can only lead to disaster!"

Gaelscoil raised in Dail

According to Labour's Cllr Keith Martin there is still no progress on the new building for Westport's Gaelscoil.  The new school was given the go ahead in 2006 and a site was acquired from Westport Town Council shortly after, with a delivery date of June 2007 promised by the Department of Education.
 

As late as September 2008 the Department of Education said it was at "an advanced stage of architectural planning. Planning permission has been obtained and pre-qualification of prospective contractors has been completed. It is hoped to progress this project to tender and construction process as soon as possible."
 

However when questioned this week by Labour's Education Spokesman Ruairi Quinn TD, Minister Batt O'Keeffe was unable to give a timeframe for the project.
 

According to the Minister the new building "is currently one of a number of projects at an advanced stage of architectural planning. It was not; however, included in the most recent tranche of projects announced in September as, due to normal budgetary constraints and the need to manage the capital programme in an orderly fashion, not all building projects can proceed to tender and construction at the same time.  

"The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time."

Cllr Martin says "It looks like the Department is not interested in keeping its commitments in relation to the badly needed new building for our Gaelscoil.  We must not falter in our demands that the promised new school is delivered on immediately."

Martin Marches

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin was among the 15,000 who took to the streets outside the Dail to protest the government's decision to means test medical cards for the over 70s.

 

Cllr Martin says "I was proud to be there among the crowd and to add my voice to the protest in support of all those in Westport who are outraged at this move.  Like them I am appalled that the government has decided to row back on its commitment of universal medical card coverage for those over 70.

 

"It was great to see a good contingent up from Westport to support the protest and Westport's Breda O'Malley (Hon. Secretary of the Irish Senior Citizens' Parliment) was on top form as a speaker who rallied the crowd.

 

"While the atmosphere was largely positive there was an undercurrent of anger at the Government and this bubbled to the top when the crowd was addresses by TDs from Fianna Fail and the Green Party.  I hope the message gets through to the Government."

Eamon Gilmore TD Labour Leader in Westport Oct 31`st

Eamon Gilmore TD will be in Westport on Fri Oct 31st for the day.

 

Please let me know if you are interested in an interview with him on any matter, local, national or international and I can give you his contact number or have him contact you.

 

Keith Martin

Johnny Mee

Cllr Keith Martin says Johnny Mee's decision to retire at the next election in June 2009 marks the end of decades of dedicated service to the people of Castlebar and to Mayo.

 

"As a founder member of Western Care his impact on the community has been a hugely positive one as an individual and as a public representative he has always championed the citizens of Castlebar and their needs.

 

"Johnny Mee's contribution to the Labour Party has also been significant in offering the voters an alternative and in encouraging others to get involved in politics.

 

"I would like to wish Johnny a long and happy retirement and to thank him for all he has done for me and for the Labour party."

 

 

A night at the races!

My fundraiser racenight will take place on November 7th at 9.30pm in Henehan's Bar on Bridge Street, Westport.

 

Horses are €25 each and we have some great prizes and an auction race to finish. 

 

Please buy a horse or come along on the night and help fill my campaign coffers for the election in June.  Every little helps and my campaign is funded by my friends, family and supporters so I need all the help I can get to make it a level playing field next year.

 

086 0691182 or e-mail me to buy a horse.

 

 

Letter to the Editor Budget 08

Dear Editor,

 

 

It seems that the majority would have prefered a Marxist budget in the sense of "From each according to his means, to each according to his needs."

 

Instead we have a Lenihanist budget!

 

Yours sincerely

 

Cllr Keith Martin

Westport Town Council

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

Co. Mayo

 

086 0691182 m

098 25747 w

098 24852 h

Its the economy, stupid

It's the economy, stupid" was a phrase in American politics widely used during Bill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign against George H.W. Bush.

 

For a time, Bush was considered unbeatable because of foreign policy developments such as the end of the Cold War and the Persian Gulf War.

 

The phrase, coined by Clinton campaign refers to the notion that Clinton was a better choice because Bush had not adequately addressed the economy, which had recently undergone a recession.

 

Now history repeats itself, McCain the war hero, has gone negative on Obama, attacking his character in ads and allowing Sarah Palin to infer Obama is a terrorist.

 

As they did in 1992 when faced with a declining economy the voters are turning to the man with the plan, where McCain admits he knows nothing about economics Obama carefully outlines his solutions to the crisis.  The voters don't want a campaign about character, they want a campaign about jobs.

 

In fact the McCain/Palin ticket is very much like the Bush/Quayle ticket it has an out of touch reactionary war hero coupled with a brainless good looking idiot versus a dynamic and positive young contender who is pushing a economic solution to America's woes.

 

Its the economy, stupid!

Cllrs to be barred from Harbour Boards?

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has called on the Government to reverse the proposal to remove councillors from Harbour Boards.

The Harbours (amendment) Bill 2008, which is currently before the Senate proposes to remove local representatives from Harbour Boards by ending the practice whereby local authorities appointed members to Harbour Boards.

 

Cllr Martin says "I cannot understand why the government would want to see local authority membership wiped from the boards of the ports throughout this country. I cannot understand why the Government is so intent on taking away functions from local authority members. Councillors want real input into local government.

"We have the promise of local government reform from the Minister of the Environment and for an increase in powers for local councillors then on the other hand we have his colleague in the Department of the Marine stripping communities of their representation on Harbour Boards.  When you consider the potential for Westport's Harbour and how important it is to Westport's future development it is crazy of the Minister to bar councillors from serving on Westport's Harbour Board.

Cllr Martin says he will be raising this issue with the other members of Westport Town Council and with the two councillors currently serving on Westport Harbour Board, but in the meantime he said he would be contacting the Minister to protest at the proposal.

 

"The Minister can make the changes that are definitely needed, but he does not have to do this at the expense of local democracy and local government."
 

086 0691182

The County Councillor's Song

The 'County Councillors' Song' first appeared in the Leinster Leader newspaper on May 1^st 1900, a year after the inaugural local elections took place following on from the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898.   It goes as follows:-

 

I AM A COUNTY COUNCILLOR, A VERY PUBLIC MAN

TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN;

IN ALL MY WAKING MOMENTS FOR THEIR WELFARE I WILL SCHEME

AND IN THE ARMS OF MORPHEUS OF IMPROVEMENTS I WILL DREAM.

A LOCAL LEGISLATOR AND A MAN OF HIGH RENOWN,

I AM THE COUNTY COUNCILLOR, THE GREATEST MAN IN TOWN

Ironic recycling charges

It is ironic that Mayo County Council is marking National Recycling Week by introducing charges for recycling at its two Civic Amenity Centres according to Labour's Cllr Keith Martin.

 

Mayo County Council has introduced a €2 charge per car and €5 charge per van for recycling at its Derrinumera and Rathroeen amenity centres.  Repak National Recycling Week runs from October 6th to 12th. 

 

According to Cllr Martin there is no justification for the charges as in the last year alone Mayo County Council received €128,800 in November 2007 and €184,900 in December 2007 to offset recycling charges.

 

"These grants coupled with the income from the sale of recycled materials should cover the cost of recycling in Mayo and I think it is disgraceful that Mayo County Council has pressed ahead and introduced recycling charges.  Worse again they have brought in these grants just at the beginning of National Recycling Week.

 

"I believe the polluter should pay and not the recycler.  I believe that any difference between the costs of recycling and these grants and revenue generated should be met by an increase in waste disposal fees and not by hitting recyclers with a stealth tax which is in effect a tax on recycling and a deterrent to recycling. 

 

The majority of people using these recycling centres are low income families and the retired who have decided to take charge of their own waste disposal and recycling needs.  These are the people who will be hit the hardest by these fees.  Fees which I think are unjustified given the amount of money being provided by the Dept of the Environment.  Mayo County Council can send out all the PR it wants about recycling but the truth is their new charges are undermining the habit of recycling."

New Library for Westport flagged by Mayo County Council

Cllr Keith Martin has welcomed news that Mayo County Council intends to provide a new library for Westport within the next four years.  Cllr Martin recently highlighted the need for a new library for the town given the limited capacity and space of the current 35-year-old building.

 

Mayo County Council has submitted to the Department of the Environment its Library Project Priorities for the coming five years and is proposing new library buildings for Swinford, Crossmolina and Westport along with a brand new library building for Newport.

 

Mayo County Council has detailed its library priorities to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government stating that they will be seeking funding for new buildings. 

 

Third on the list of priorities is the plan to provide a new 900 sq metre library for the Westport to be completed by 2011 at a cost of €2.7 million.  The proposed library would be the same size as Ballina and Castlebar libraries and will provide a state-of-the-art library service for the south west Mayo region.

 

The library is planned to be part of the one-stop-shop of Civic Offices for Westport on the site of the Convent grounds in Westport.  Mayo County Council expects to provide 20% of the capital costs of the new building which would be five times the size of the current library in Westport.

 

However as the council have listed Westport as its third priority behind new buildings for Swinford and Crossmolina, Westport will have to wait its turn.  Mayo County Council expect work to commence on the new library in 2010 to be completed by 2011.

 

According to the Labour councillor "this is good news for Westport but it is only the beginning of the process.  Mayo County Council have informed the Department of its library priorities and it is now up to the Department to take the next step but I am delighted that Mayo County Council are confident and committed to improving on the existing library buildings and to providing a new library for Newport also.

 

"There has long been a consensus, in the council chamber and in the town, that the library building is too small to meet the needs of the growing population in the Westport.  Not only is it an unattractive building but it is far too small to meet the demands placed on it.  We need a new library the size of Castlebar's with study areas, a dedicated local history section, a children's area and an exhibition space in addition to a increased shelf space for books, CDs, DVDs and digital media.

 

"We will also have the opportunity of displaying the town's art collection which has been built up over the years by the council acquiring pieces from local and visiting artists and a new library and civic offices would be the ideal venue to put this art collection on display.

 

"I will continue to lobby for a new library for Westport and I will be asking that Westport Town Council establish a committee to oversee this proposal for a new building to keep the pressure up on the County Council and the Department to deliver on Westport's need for a new library."

 

 

Priority	Libra,y name! Location	Size in Sq m	Total Estimated Cost (€)	Part        of One stop shop (YiN)	Due        to commence	Due to finish	Estimate ~ local authority contribution (€)
1	Swinford	405sq mt	€1.8m	y	2008	2010            /	20%
2	Crossmolina	500sq ft	€2m	n	2009	2011	20%
3	Westport	900	€2.7m	y	2010	2011	20%
4	Newport	200sq m	€lm	n	2009	2010	20%

LIBRARY PROJECT PRIORITY FORM

                                 Signed:_                                                                               Date:

                                 City/County Manager or Director of Service

 

 

086 0691182

 

Filmmaking in Westport

Filmmaking in Westport

 

Westport Town Council took the decision during its 2006 Budget to provide funding to begin marketing the town to Irish and International filmmakers as a location for their production.

 

The allocation under the town's budget to promote filming was later incorporated into the Multi Agency Job Creation Taskforce and established as the Film Promotion and Broadband sub-committee of the Taskforce.

 

The sub-committee is comprised of the Cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council, Cllr Martin Keane, Cllr Keith Martin and Westport Town Manager Peter Hynes.  Cllr Keith Martin is also the Mayo liaison officer with the Irish Film Board.

 

The purpose of the committee is to market Westport to filmmakers as a location for all kinds of productions from feature films like 'Heart's Desire' which is currently filming in the area to adventure programmes such as RTE's 'Celebrities go wild!'

 

The sub-committee also liaises with filmmakers before and during production to see how the production can be assisted by Westport Town Council and Mayo County Council and also provides a liaison and information service to the producers.

 

Westport Town Council is regarded as one of the most film friendly local authorities in Ireland and has worked very successfully with a number of productions to put Westport on the map. 

 

According to Damien Devaney publicist for the Guinness Ad 'Pat's Bar' shot in Westport in 2004, "It just makes everything a lot easier when there's a welcoming mind set in a town and Westport Town Council staff and management certainly reflected that. It was a very positive environment to work in, even when we had to stop traffic, the Gardaí were so co-operative and the crew were all treated so well,"

 

From the very successful 'Pat's Bar' Guinness advert to films like 'Return to the River' and 'Heart's Desire' these high quality productions put Westport on the map with tourists from all over the world. 

 

According to Cllr Keith Martin "these productions entice people to come and visit the places they see in the film.  One only has to think about the impact that the Quiet Man has had on tourism in Mayo to appreciate how powerful these productions can work as an advertisement for our town.

 

"There are also the great benefits directly derived from having productions shot in Westport.  For example on the current shoot of 'Heart's Desire' there is a crew of 40 people being accommodated, fed and entertained in the town along with all the other necessary provision purchasing for the production and the use of local locations and local talent in the form of additional crew members and those cast as extras."

 

According to Cllr Martin Keane, Cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council, "Filmmaking is a great asset to our town and I welcome it for the employment it will provide in tourism and for the investment which the filming itself makes in Westport and in Mayo.  We have a beautiful tidy town and it will be great to see it showcased all over the world. I hope that it will attract many of those people to come and visit us in Westport. They will be most welcome."

 

Productions recently filmed and assisted in Westport include

 

Feature Film Heart's Desire
RTÉ's Celebrities Go Wild!
TV3's Ireland Am (Live Broadcast)
RTE's About the House
Famine Ship (Documentary)
Guninnes Advert "Pat's Bar"
Calvin Klein Advert
Townlands "The seven wonders of Westport" (Documentary)
RTE comedy series "The Final Furlong"
History Channel's "Pirate Queen Grainne O'Malley" starring Lucy Lawless (Documentary)
Gaelforce Outdoor Adventure Competitions
TnaG's Carta Posta (Documentary)
TnG's Irish Gangsters (Documentary)
Feature Film "Return to the River"
TnaG's Treasure Hunt