Westport Radio courses

Westport Radio, in conjunction with Mayo VEC, is hosting a series of classes for people interested in developing their media skills or a career in local media.

Westport Radio are inviting persons interested in completing a Radio Presenters or Production course or a Writing Press Releases course to register their interest by contacting the station on 098 24000, by emailing info@wrfm.ie or by calling into the studios on James Street.

The courses will take place in Westport over the coming month.  Places are limited so early booking is advised.  There is no charge for either course.  

http://www.theredcard.ie/camp.php

Show Racism the Red Card Ireland hosted the first international conference of likeminded projects from across Europe to meet in Dublin from 16th – 20th April.


Our intercultural camps are heaps of fun and packed with adventure and learning. Following success of our previous Intercultural Summer Camps, we are now planning towards our 2012 Intercultural Summer Camps.

Tsunami drill for Mayo

Following the magnitude 4.0 earthquake of the Mayo coast and given the
number of the low-lying settlements along the Mayo coast a Westport
Councillor has called on Mayo County Council to run an emergency drill
to prepare in case Mayo is ever subject to a Tsunami strike.
Cllr Keith Martin has written to Mayo County Council to request that
an emergency drill be carried out to prepare the county's emergency
services for such an event.
According to Cllr Martin there is a precedent for such a disaster as
the Westport Historical Society's Journal Cathair Na Mart records a
large wave hitting Westport Quay in November 1909. The wave caused
damage as it hit the Quay breaking the Quay wall and leaving large
pieces of it strewn over the road to Rossbeg. The wave sent a wall of
water four feet high up as far as the old railway station, which is
now the Quay school.
Cllr Martin says the events are described in the article "Tidal wave
at Westport Quay" which details the memories of Michael J Lyons who
was fifteen at the time. According to the report "Tons of timber were
strewn about. Boats lay in the road."
Cllr Martin says "Experts now believe the wave was the result of the
tectonic plates shifting far out in the Atlantic and this sent a
mini-tsunami wave racing ashore at Westport. Fortunately the damage
was minor but it should serve as a warning to prepare. The odds of a
Tsunami hitting Westport or Mayo again must be millions to one but we
should be prepared just as we would for an airplane or train crash or
other such unlikely disasters. Mayo County Council runs drills like
the one this summer at Knock Airport whereby a plane crash is
simulated. This tests the preparedness of the emergency services to
cope with unlikely large-scale disasters."
Cllr Martin adds "We only have to look as the disasters in the Pacific
or the recent flooding in New Orleans to know how deadly water can be
and we should not be complacent about such events. Towns like Westport
and Newport are only feet above the sea level at their Quays and we
should be prepared."

Tsunami Drill

Dear Mr County Secretary

I am writing to you to repeat my request of 2006 that Mayo County
Council prepare an emergency response drill and reaction plan in the
event of a Tsunami or Tidal wave impacting on any or all of Mayo's
seaside towns and villages.

Thank you

Keith Martin
Councillor
Westport

HSE INVITE REPEATED

HSE INVITE REPEATED

 

The HSE have been invited to come before Westport Town Council and discuss the current and future provision of health services within the town, including the future development of the MacBride nursing home according to Cllr Keith Martin.

"In September of 2011 I proposed a motion that representatives of the HSE come before Westport Town Council and update us as to the recruitment of a new Director of Nursing for the MacBride Home and on developments such as the transfer of Westport's two Community Welfare Officers to the Department of Social Protection, the retirement of so many community and psychiatric nurses and how these events will impact on health services in Westport. 

"While we have received written updates in relation to the recruitment of the new Director of Nursing the HSE have not yet accepted our invitation.

"At the January meeting of Westport Town Council I repeated the motion, which was supported unanimously, and the Town Clerk has written to the HSE again asking them to appear before us and update us on the HSE's plans for Westport.

"I expect that such a discussion will take place in March or April and that it will be an informative meeting, which will go a long way to reassuring the people of Westport in relation to the security of their local health services.

Post Office payments

Dear Minister Hogan,

I am writing to you to request that you put in place a system which would allow the public, particularly senior citizens, to pay their household charge in the Post Office.

Numerous constituents who want to pay the charge have been in contact with me due to their frustration with the options currently available for paying the €100 charge. They know the charge is required to fund local services, and they want to be able to pay it in their local post office where many access other public services.

Sincerely

Keith Martin

Councillor

Westport Town Council

Call for Post office payments for new charge

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin says the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan should take action to make the payment of the household charge less hassle and more convenient, particularly for older people.

"The public need to be provided with a more accessible method of paying the household charge and the local post office is the ideal venue. Numerous constituents who want to pay the charge have been in contact with me due to their frustration with the options currently available for paying the €100 charge. They know the charge is required to fund local services, and they want to be able to pay it in their local post office where many access other public services.

"There are too many people who are seeking to pay the Household Charge before the deadline, but who are unable to pay online or do not have the ability to get to their council offices. I have written to Minister Hogan asking him to consider giving people more options for how they can pay their household charge before the deadline is up.

"I can see no reason why the country's network of Post Offices cannot be used to give people more opportunities to pay the household charge. I hope the Minister can move swiftly to give people more opportunities to pay the Household Charge.

"It is one of the basics of all public charges that the State should make it as easy as possible for the citizen to pay the charge. I would hope that Minister Hogan would bear this in mind and allow people to pay the charge through their local Post Office."