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.”

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.