From Castlebar - County Mayo -
Connaught Telegraph - 26th March 2003
By PJ
26, Mar 2003 - 17:56
Expenses of county councillors revealed
Figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed what Mayo Councillors are claiming in expenses. It has been revealed that the cost is a staggering average of €21,559 per week. Each of the monthly meetings of the council cost €222,258 much of this paid out in travelling and sundry expenses to members. It also cost €121,982 to cover the cost of councillors attending conferences around the country during 2002. The highest expenses of €70,304 were claimed by Cllr Jimmy Maloney whilst the lowest expenses of €4,882 were claimed by Deputy Beverly Flynn TD.
Renewed call for Cable car service for Inishbiggle
The widow of an accomplished sailor who was drowned whilst crossing from Bullsmouth on Achill to Inishbiggle has expressed the wish that the long awaited cable car will soon come to fruition to save other lives. 80 year old Donna Allen and her husband John came to live on Inishbiggle in 1989. John, a former RAF pilot and WW2 veteran, was also an accomplished sailor who had sailed solo across both the South and North Atlantic. He went missing on March 19th after leaving from Bullsmouth to make the treacherous crossing to Inishbiggle in his small boat.
New Era for Inishturk
A new stage in the lives of the islanders of Inishturk, nine miles off the Mayo coast, opened this week with the switch on of a new three-phase electricity supply by the ESB. Up to now, for the past 17 years, the power on the island has been supplied by three single-phase diesel powered generators, which have taken their toll on electrical appliances on the island, resulting in many being burned out by power surges. The new supply will treble the capacity for the 25 households on the Island and will permit electric showers and cookers to be installed in houses on the island as well as facilitating light industry.
© Copyright 2003 by Castlebar - County Mayo -