Deputy Pat Rabbitte, Mr David Fallon, Cllr Keith Martin

Deputy Pat Rabbitte, Mr David Fallon, Cllr Keith Martin, originally uploaded by CllrKeith's.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte, Secretary David Fallon and Cllr Keith Martin pictured at the Westport Electoral Area Selection Convention which was held on Tuesday (March 25th) in the Wyatt Hotel.

Cllr Keith Martin was selected to contest a seat for Labour on Mayo County Council.

Acceptance Speech

Speech delivered to Westport Electoral Area Selection Convention on Tuesday March 25th in Wyatt Hotel

Deputy Rabbitte, Mr Chairman, Mr Secretary, Party members, family and friends I am honoured to accept the nomination to contest a seat on Mayo County Council for the Labour Party.

Thank you for this honour.

I want to thank you all for your support here tonight, it means a lot to me and to my family.

Westport is a new town with very old roots. The town as we know it today is less than 300 years old, but its roots stretch back over centuries to the village of Cathair na Mart at the mouth of the Carrowbeg River.

The Labour Party in Westport has old roots too. They are embedded in this town since the 1920s and Westport has had a branch in this town for the last 80 years. Over those years there have been up and downs but the Labour Party has been there, inside and outside the council chamber raising the issues that matter to you.

The Labour Party in Westport has always championed the common interest over special interests and will continue to do so.

In selecting me as our candidate for the County Council the Labour Party seeks to build on our success in Westport.

We are, without doubt, the most active and vocal of all the political parties in the town. Our membership has doubled in two years and we are currently attracting new members at an unprecendented rate.

This is because we are still championing the common interest.

I believe in local government, I believe that the best, most effective government takes place at the lowest possible and practical level.

I believe in Directly Elected Mayors with executive powers, offering leadership and accountability in place of unelected officials exercising "executive functions" at the expense of local democracy.

I believe in our town's potential as a centre for employment, that is why I serve on our town's job creation taskforce.

I believe in supporting local crafts and producers, that is why I am the founding and current chairman of the Westport Food and Craft Market.

I believe in a fair deal and that is why I am honoured to serve on Westport's Fairtrade committee in our designated Fairtrade Town.

I believe that everyone has the right to live in their home town and that is why I support the Tubberhill development which will see the creation of over 90 units of mixed social and affordable housing just up the road from this hotel.

I believe in access for all that is why I am a founding member of the town's Barcelona Committee to oversee our compliance with disability and access requirements in our town.

I can see a future when all young men and women from Westport can afford their own home in Westport

I can see a future when Westport attracts employers from all over the world thanks to investment in infrastructure like super high speed broadband, an N5 dual carriage way linking us to Castlebar and the very high quality of life we offer here in Westport

I can see a future when the majority of Westport's energy needs are met by sustainable sources such as wind, wave and tidal power.

I can see a future when conservation is as important as development.

I can see a Westport, a Mayo, an Ireland where no-one is left behind, no matter what their income, their education or their background.

I believe in an equality of opportunity, I believe in a fair society and that is why I am so proud to have selected here tonight. I will not let you down. I will continue to work hard for you.

Health Care Protest Rallies

This Saturday, March 29th there will be two Health Rallies in Dublin
City Centre and in Tallaght.

The Tallaght Hospital protest is at 1pm but all Labour members in the
neighbouring constituencies are to meet at 12.30pm the County Hall,
Belgard Square North (adjacent to gate of Tallaght Hospital)

The National Rally takes place in Dublin City Centre. All Labour
members are to meet at 2.30pm at the very latest at the Garden of
Remembrance, Parnell Square.

Come along and support us in our campaign for a decent and fair health service.

Useful Application Forms and Publications

Apply to rent a Council House (Rural Area)

Apply to rent a Council House (Westport Town)

Apply for an Affordable Home (Westport and Mayo)

Apply for a Driver's Theory Test

Apply for a Learner's Driver Licence

Apply for a Driving Test

Apply for a Driver's Licence

Apply for a Medical Card

E-mail me for help or more information on any of these

Mayo's First Selection Convention

The first selection convention in Mayo for the 2009 Local Elections will take place this Tuesday March 25th at 8pm in the Wyatt Hotel, Westport.

Mayoman Pat Rabbitte TD will chair the Labour Party's Selection Convention for the Westport Electoral Area where Labour hope to win a seat on Mayo County Council.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte, Labour's Spokesperson on Justice will also address the meeting on the issue of anti-social behaviour, crime and policing after the convention.

According to the Chairman of the Westport Branch of the Labour Party, Sean Sammon the party expect a good attendance and public interest in the meeting. Mr Sammon says the meeting would be open to all Labour supporters and well-wishers in Mayo.

www.westportlabour.blogspot.com

Happy St Patrick's Day

Just to wish you all a Happy St Patrick's Day tomorrow and I will be sure to give you all a big wave as I pass by.

Above is a clip I recorded last year which shows the Achill Pipe Band who played in the parade playing themselves out after the post-parade reception.

I hope the Cuban Band will be as good. Have a safe and happy day.

Fairtrade Fortnight in Westport

We are just concluding a very successful Fairtrade fortnight in Westport. You can read the Mayo News's report on it here

I welcomed Armando Choco, cocoa grower from Belieze, Nimrod Wambette, coffee grower from Uganda and Peter Gaynor from Fairtrade HQ to Westport where they gave a talk to school children on Fairtrade at Westport Leisure Park.

The support we receive is fantastic and will ensure that Westport retains its Fairtrade Town Status for 2008.

Labour Selection Convention

Deputy Pat Rabbitte, Labour's Spokesperson on Justice, will Chair a Selection Convention in Westport on Tuesday March 25^th in the Wyatt Hotel at 8pm.  The convention will select the Labour Party's candidate in Westport for the 2009 Local Elections.

 

The Selection Convention will see Labour Party members in the greater Westport area nominate their candidate for the up-coming election campaign. 

 

Westport Branch Chairman Sean Sammon says that "all the friends and supporters of the Labour Party in Mayo are invited to attend the proceedings."

 

After the selection of the candidate Deputy Rabbitte will address the meeting on the issues of Anti-Social Behaviour, crime and policing.  

 

Deputy Rabbitte was born in 1949 near Claremorris and brought up in Woodstock, Ballindine, County Mayo and was educated locally at St Colman's College, Claremorris before emigrating to Britain to find employment. He returned shortly afterwards to attend University College Galway.  Deputy Rabbitte is very popular in Mayo and is known as one of the most accomplished speakers in the Dáil.

 

For more information on the Labour Party in Mayo, contact Cllr Keith Martin on 086 0691182 or visit www.westportlabour.blogspot.com.

Sincerely  Keith Martin  Mobile        086 0691182 e-mail        newseditor@ireland.com 

Irish Rail must provide space for bicycles on trains

Labour’s Cllr Keith Martin has called on Irish Rail to make provision for the transportation of bicycles on all their services into Westport when their new trains come to Westport later in the year.

Cllr Martin says the new trains must facilitate cyclists who want to bring their bicycles to and from the town and says cyclists and cycling groups are concerned that the new trains will not carry bicycles.

According to Cllr Martin “Westport is a designated cycling hub town and has received a grant, under Fáilte Ireland's Tourism Infrastructure Fund, of €88,000 to promote cycling and cycling lanes. It is important then that cyclists can use the trains to bring their bicycles to and from the town.

Reacting to Cllr Martin’s concerns at his presentation to Westport Town Council last week, Mr Myles McHugh, Service Planning Manager with Irish Rail said it was true that the new trains had a much reduced capacity for bicycles but that provision would be made for them by adapting carriages.

Labour calls for doubling of capitation grant for schools

This week, Labour has put down a Dáil motion calling for the doubling of the capitation grant for schools. This would cost €82 million a year - less than 1 per cent of the total education budget. But the energy and imagination it would release within our national schools would be inestimable. It would fr ee our schools from the constant round of fundraising, and ensure they have enough money in the school budget to pay for the things that make a difference: art materials, musical instruments, sports equipment, books and other learning resources.

€90,000 for access improvments in Westport

I have welcomed the allocation of €90,000 for access works under Westport Town Council’s Roadworks scheme for 2008.

At our March monthly meeting we adopted a Roadworks scheme for works for this year totaling €615,00 which will cover vital works in the town including traffic calming on the Quay Road, resurfacing of the Mill Street Car Park and a new footpath at the Point.

In addition to the 19 specific works we have made a provision of €90,000 for access improvements in the town. We aim to make Westport as accessible as possible for all and this €90,000 allocation is part of your commitment to that goal.

I am a founding member of Westport Town Council’s Barcelona Committee which oversees the town's compliance with its commitments under the Barcelona Convention on Disabilities.

New trains for Westport in May

New rolling stock should be on the Westport to Dublin train line before May according to Irish rail.

At the recent meeting of Westport Town Council Irish Rail executive Myles McHugh refused to be drawn on an exact date for the implementation of the promised new trains for the Westport to Dublin line but in response to repeated requests from town counillors as to an exact date Mr McHugh promised that the trains would be on the line “before the summer”.

When asked when he thought summer began Mr McHugh replied “May” but would not give an exact date but did promise to provide the councillors with a date closer to May.

Addressing Mr McHugh I said it seemed unusual that a transport company which worked daily with timetables could not give Westport town council a timetable for the introduction of the new trains to Westport.

I also told the representative of Irish Rail that it seemed to many that the westport arrivals platform in Dublin was “inching its way to Inchicore” as it was now further and further from the centre of the station.

I urged Mr McHugh and Irish Rail to introduce quality hot food and a reasonably priced children’s menu on the service and highlighted to Mr McHugh that Westport was now a designated cycling hub town and called on Irish rail to make adequate provision for the transportation of bicycles on the new trains.

High Court ruling

A High Court ruling upholding the powers of local councils to enact and enforce by-laws prohibiting the drinking of alcohol in public areas such as parks has been welcomed by Labour's Cllr Keith Martin of Westport Town Council. Westport Town Council adopted by-laws to control the consumption of intoxicating liquor in public places in 2002.

In the High Court on Friday (March 7th) Mr Justice Michael Hanna ruled there was no constitutional or statutory bar to local councils passing bylaws setting out fines for drinking in parks.

He was giving judgment on proceedings by Phillip Clarke of Cloonmore Park, Tallaght, Dublin, who is facing trial under South Dublin Council's bylaws for drinking in the Butler Magee Park in Tallaght on May 1st, 2005.

Mr Justice Hanna found the bylaws did not infringe Mr Clarke's constitutional rights.

The judge said the Oireachtas had given local authorities discretion to introduce bylaws to deal with mischief and nuisance in areas under their supervision.

Cllr Martin says "this judgement ensures that Gardai in Westport can continue to tackle this anti-social behaviour when and where is happens under the powers granted to them by Westport Town Council. The by-product of drinking alcohol in public areas is anti-social behaviour, littering, noise and vandalism. Anyone witnessing such behaviour should contact the Gardai immediately on 098 25555."

Know Your Place Poster Competition

Cá bhfuil cónaí ort? What does your village, townland or parish name mean? That is the question posed this week by Westport Historical Society as they launch a novel schools poster competitions as part of the Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations.

The competition is open to fourth, fifth and sixth classes in the Westport region. The motive behind the competition is to encourage children to research the name and meaning of their townland place name.

The competition runs until April 18th and all entries must be submitted to Westport Historical Society, Westport Quay, Westport, Co. Mayo. Further information is available from Sinsearlann Chuain Mó, Cathair na Mart at (098) 26852.

2008 Special Participation Grant Scheme

Each year Mayo Sports Partnership assist sports groups/organisations financially in projects which main aim is to increase participation in sports/activities.

The Special Participation Initiative Grant Scheme is aimed at encouraging clubs/organisations to introduce new additional projects which aim to increase participation in and opportunities for physical activity.

The 2008 scheme is now open, for further details on what projects are eligible for funding and which are not and for an application form please see their website: www.mayosports.ie (Grant Section)

If I can be of any help just drop me a line.