National Western Alliance Party to Field Six Election Candidates
A new political party has been formed called the National Western Alliance Party. The party will represent the west of Ireland in the Dail. The party are looking for five candidates from Connaught and one from Donegal to run in the upcoming election. The party will hope to bring more attention to the west and develop it further in terms of industry and new businesses. The party will be officially registered this week in the Dail.

Mayo County Council Members Refuse to Support Anti-Pollution Measures.
Vincent Roche, Manager of the North Western Regional Fisheries Board has said that officials of the council have told him that they will not be putting phosphorus-control measures before Mayo County Council because they believe the Councillors will not support them. Councillors prefer instead to support local farmers, which are the main target of the anti-pollution measures. This amazing situation emerges in a series of articles in the Western including one by Denis Daly covering the recent meeting in Crossmolina convened on foot of the news that trout angling has collapsed in Lough Conn. A fish-stock survey by the Central Fisheries Board has revealed that trout populations have crashed in both Lough Conn and Lough Cullin. Huge populations of rudd and roach have taken over these lakes virtually eliminating the brown trout populations in Conn and Cullin. This follows on from the disappearance of arctic char some 12 years ago and it now looks like game angling is a thing of the past in these important North Mayo lakes. Dr. Karol Donnelly presented slides at the meeting showing how phosphorus pollution from farms in the catchment had increased steadily in the past 5 years.

Lots of New Castlebar Planning Applications
The Western lists 19 new planning applications to Castlebar Town Council and a list of 13 granted planning permission. St. Angela's have applied for a car park and amendments to the entrance to the school at Rock Square. A new coffee shop is proposed for Cavendish Lane and Mr and Mrs. James and Ann Rowland have requested permission to retain an extension to the rear of existing licensed premises comprising beer store and boiler room together with modifications to rear elevation at Market St. Castlebar. Permission has been granted to Barcastle industries for change of use from gymnasium to licensed party or function room with extension to floor area and new elevations at Gorteendrunagh. GMIT have also obtained permission for a new entrance road to the college and ancillary works and signage.