Major hotel and housing project for Castlebar
Finally the building of a 108-bedroom hotel can get under way at Cloonagh, Ballinrobe Road, Castlebar. Saleen Developments Ltd. have plans for a 108-bedroom hotel with a function area, business room facilities and a leisure area with an 18-metre swimming pool, leisure pool, fitness area and relaxation areas. Along with the hotel, the company is building four two-storey commercial buildings, 3000 square metres each, suitable for IT and service sector use. The project was given its first go-ahead in April 2001 but the plans were delayed due to appeals lodged against the project. It is unlikely however that any construction will start before 2003.

Quinn set for council chair.....At Last!
Last Monday, the Fianna Fail party chose Mr. Tim Quinn as the new chairman of Mayo County Council. He will be installed in the position on Monday the 8th of July at the AGM of the County Council. Mr. Quinn is a Belmullet councillor and was narrowly defeated last year for the position by Cllr. Jimmy Maloney. It is expected that Fine Gael’s Mr. Michael Burke will be the Vice-Chairman. Over the next week, the new Mayors for Castlebar, Westport and Ballina will be announced.

Health Board Crisis
Members of the Western Health Board attended a special meeting at Merlin Park Hospital in Galway on Thursday to discuss the major over-spending this year by the board. It is expected that several measures will be introduced, such as the laying-off of temporary staff, closure of wards and the reducing of services in the region. Every sector of the Western health Board will be affected by the cutbacks. Spending at Mayo General Hospital is 2.16 million over budget; this is partly due to the outbreak of the winter vomiting virus at the hospital earlier this year.