Letter to Editor

Dear Editor,

In these dark days of recession I notice an increasing tendancy among some to criticise the President's role and purpose as some form of expensive national window dressing in a country that cannot afford such a luxury.

They forget that dark night of 27 January 1982 when the only institution of this state to stand up to Charles J Haughey was the Presidency.

Haughey was able to intimidate all except the President and that is why we have a President, to protect us, our nation and our constitution from harm.

The Presidency is worth every penny.

God save Ireland

Councillor Keith Martin
086 0691182
098 24852
www.councillorkeithmartin.com

Labour will reform local government

Labour has put forward far-reaching proposals to reform local government that will deliver genuine efficiency at local level. For example:

* Is our view that where an issue arises regarding a town council seeking rating status or dispute arises over the inclusion of an area in a council, the issue could be resolved either by plebiscite of the voters in that area or by recommendation of the Local Government Commission (Local Government Act, 2001)

* Government departments and State Agency should be examined to identify those functions which would be performed more effectively and appropriately at a local level.

* Councils should have the power to seek reports from service providers on a similar basis to Oireachtas Committees, and to question, in public, the appropriate managers on aspects of their service.

* The position of County Manager should be abolished and replaced by a Chief Executive of the Council.

* We believe that the distinction between county councils and the town should be rebalanced.

* Chief Executives should exercise a limited range of Executive Functions, similar to those which were originally intended in the City and County management Acts.

* Chief Executives should have no policy-making functions other than to assist and advise the elected Council in the making of policy.

* The power of the Minister to abolish a Council and to replace it with a Commissioner should be ended. Instead, where a Council fails to adopt an Annual Budget, the Council should stand suspended, and fresh elections be held to elect a new council for the remainder of its five year cycle.

* Rates should be levied on State owned property. There is no continuing justification for exempting State owned property from the rates regime which applies to privately owned businesses.

Local Government Reform can only be achieved in the context of a broader reform programme that not only involves National Government Reform but also a comprehensive reform of our public and state structures thereby providing a clear framework as to what functions as best suited to the differing levels of government.

ComReg calls on Eircom to reverse its minimum payment policy

This is the ComReg's reply to my original complaint about Eircom's proposed €20 minimum payment policy.

Dear Councillor Martin

 

In relation to your query below I wish to advise you that ComReg is concerned that the change will affect consumers who have found, up until now, this method of payment the best way of paying their Eircom bill. In particular, ComReg believes that Eircom's decision may have a very negative impact on the most vulnerable of consumers. ComReg has called on Eircom to reverse this decision in light of the serious and well-grounded concerns voiced by many stakeholders.

 

Rgds

 

Una

 

Una Marnell
Contact Management Team Leader
Commission for Communications Regulation    

22 jobs go at Westport factory

Very upset to hear of the loss of 22 jobs at Skretting Ireland plant at Westport Quay.  The closure will be a serious blow to the locality, which already has a seriously high unemployment rate.  

Still the Government fiddle while Rome burns!  Putting the 500,000 unemployed to work for their dole is not the answer, the answer is to create proper jobs for those half a million people so they are no longer unemployed!

Eamon Gilmore on winning the West

The Winning The West Labour Conference which will be attended by Eamon
Gilmore has been scheduled for the weekend of the 16th October in
Castlebar. Full details to follow. All Labour Party members and
supporters are welcome.

Council meeting notes

• Still no result for the Sustainable Transport competition.  Fingers crossed that Westport wins the €6.5 million 
• Westlands estate was taken over by the council
• The Westport of the Worlds celebration takes place next week to mark 25 years

Eircom adopting "bully boy" billing says Cllr

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has written to the Communications Regulator to ask the regulator to take action following the latest plans by Eircom to hit those struggling to pay their bills.

According to Cllr Martin "The news that Eircom is to insist that their cash-strapped customers must pay a minimum of €20 towards their bill at a time is yet another blow to those on lower incomes.  It has been good budgeting practice for those who struggle with their phone bills to pay off a small amount in regular instalments to avoid having to deal with one large bill at the end of the month. Many customers on low incomes have been paying of €5 or €10 each week to help manage their budgets. Eircom is now insisting on a minimum of €20 at a time, or the full amount if it comes to less than €20.

It is unrealistic and unfair of Eircom to set such terms especially during this recession.  People are under enough pressure to keep the lights on and food on the table without Eircom adopting 'bully boy' demands on people who are already doing their best to pay the bills.  Telephones are vital social links especially for the elderly and those living in remote rural areas.  It is time the regulator flexed their muscles and clamped down on this kind of unreasonable, anti-social behaviour by a major company.

Eircom's proposals have been criticised by Age Action Ireland and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS).

Golf Course Road Park and school plans

Here is a copy of the layout of the new school and park on the Golf Course Road.  

New public park on the Railway Line Walk

Westport Town Councillors voted on Thursday night to develop a new 2 acre public park beside the Railway Line walk. The park will be designed by TV's Celebrity Gardener Diarmuid Gavin and will feature a Multi Use Games Area. The design and building of the park will be filmed and will be shown on RTE in the new year.

The park will be located in the triangular area between the two bridges which cross the Green way in Cloonmonad.  Diarmuid Gavin has already visited the site and will now draw up his vision for the park.  The project will also include Westport's first and long awaited skateboard park.

Cllr Keith Martin has warmly welcomed the development saying it is another excellent leisure feature for Westport.  

"The park will provide a rest area for people using the Greenway and the games area will facilitate and promote sports and fitness activities.  The park also ties in with sustainable transport as users can access it from the town or Quay via the Greenway.  Because the park is overseen from both main roads and accessed from the Greenway we expect it to be very busy and popular and thus we expect there to be no issue with anti-social behaviour."

Clew Bay Disaster memorial

Further to Any Other Business on the agenda for September's meeting of
Westport Town Council I have requested that Mayo County Council's area
committee for Westport ensure that the integrity of the memorial at
the Quay be respected by those using the area.

This should mean that any activities or inflatable recreation
equipment be kept at least 6 feet away from the memorail which marks
the Clew Bay Boating disaster of 1894 when 32 people drowned at
Westport Quays when their overloaded boat capsized.