Local Papers Commentary
The Mayo News - 24th April 2002
By Neasa McGarrigle
Apr 26, 2002, 09:33

Carty and Cowley May Oust TDs in Election Cliffhanger
A poll conducted by the Mayo News and Bluebird Marketing Agency found that two of Mayo's five sitting TDs might loose their seats in the general election. The poll showed that Deputy Beverly Cooper-Flynn (F.F) and Deputy Jim Higgins (F.G) are in danger of loosing their seats to Cllr. John Carty (F.F). The poll also showed that Fianna Fáil's core vote was 33% while Fine Gael were at 50.75% and the votes for independents had doubled.

Mayo News Journalist Wins Prestigious Prize
The Connaught Gold/John Healy journalism Awards took place last weekend in Carrick-on-Shannon. Mayo News journalist James Laffey won the top prize in the Local Print category for a feature on Garda Peadar Howley's career. TG4's Louis Lentin picked up the overall prize for Ar Dover Féin a documentary on tatie hokers from Achill in Scotland in 1937. Mid-West Radio journalists Liamy McNally and Theresa O'Malley received the local journalist award for a programme on Knock Airport. The National Print Award went to Shay Fennelly for a feature on the effect of the natural gas resource on the people of the Shetland Islands and it's relevance for the people of North Mayo.

Drunken Youths Can Close Pubs - Kenny
Deputy Enda Kenny has said that the Intoxicating liquor Act 2000 has the flaw that a drunken youth may be responsible for the closure of a pub that they may not have been in attendance. If a youth is arrested for being drunk they can give a name of a pub they were never in which will probably result in the pub being closed and/or fined. At the moment, the deputy said, the law seems to favour the customer more than the publican but the publican is the one who receive their license on the basis of a court decision that they are of good character and repute.

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