What it Says in the Castlebar and Mayo Papers

11th of October 2000

Connaught Telegraph

The Mayo News

The Western People

Court transfer shocker is the headline in The Connaught Telegraph this week.

A storm is brewing over proposals by a Circuit Court Judge to move all criminal trials from Mayo to Roscommon Town, some 60 miles away. The shock transfer, if implemented, will mean that all criminal hearings fixed for Westport, Ballina, Swinford and Castlebar (sitting in Westport) later this month, will be held in an outside county for the first time ever in the history of the court system. Judge Harvey Kenny, who maintains that there is inadequate court accommodation in Mayo for criminal trials, is behind the controversial suggestion. The legal profession, court staff, witnesses and the general public would be severely inconvenienced by a move to such a distant location. Gardaí are concerned about the manpower implications of such a measure. Judge Kenny, who has long been dissatisfied with court accommodation in Mayo, outlined his 'solution' to the Bar Association last month, and indicated that he wanted to get the views of the Association and the Gardaí on the matter. Mayo Solicitors' Bar Association say they are fundamentally opposed to the transfer for a number of reasons, including the inconvenience that would be caused to the legal profession, court staff, jurors, witnesses and members of the general public. While agreeing that there has been an undue delay in the provision of modernised court facilities in Castlebar, Mayo solicitors claim the facilities in Westport, where sittings of Castlebar Circuit Court have been held for the past two years, are adequate. The solicitors point out that Ballina CourtHouse has been modernised recently and also the Courthouse in Swinford can be utilised if necessary. The legal profession warn that if criminal trials are moved to Roscommon, there is a danger they will be dealt with there long into the future and that could prove an excuse for the diversion of funds from courthouses in Mayo to other regions.

Gas bonanza 'unlikely' to bypass Mayo towns The Connaught Telegraph this week.

Householders in at least five Mayo towns are likely to benefit from the county's billion-pound gas find off the Achill coast. Representatives of Bord Gáis, the company which will connect the new Corrib gas field with the national grid by constructing a £100m. pipeline from a proposed reception terminal at Pullathomas in North Mayo to Craughwell in Co. Galway, confirmed that the bonanza was going to have a spin-off for Mayo. Mr. Michael Snee, manager in charge of construction, said he believed that spur lines would be provided to Ballina, Crossmolina, Castlebar, Westport and Claremorris from the year 2003 onwards. In response to a range of questions posed by members of Mayo County Council, Mr. Snee said Bord Gáis was in the business of building gas pipes and increasing the numbers of households to which it supplied gas. Stated Mr. Snee " Each town will be judged on its merits. I would be surprised if the five towns I mentioned did not get a piped gas supply in the near future."

Historic church is closing down The Connaught Telegraph this week.

An historic church in Castlebar is closing down because it is posing a threat to health and safety at Mayo General Hospital. The oratory at St. Mary's Hospital, which was built over 100 years ago, is being converted into a library for students at the newly-opened nursing college at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. The church will cease to be used for celebration of Mass from December 1st next. A ceremony to co-incide with the deconsecration of the building is being organised as a fitting tribute to the patients and staff who have used the church over the decades. The proximity of the church to the new accident and emergency department and ambulance entrance is the main reason behind the Western Health Board's decision to close the Church.

U.S. consortium's £30m Knock Airport plan is one of the leading articles in The Mayo News this week.

The possibility of Knock Airport being developed as an international facility may be realised as a result of a group of high-powered Americans who are interested in investing an estimated £30 million in the airport and surrounding area. At a special meeting last week, an American consortium met with the Board of Knock Airport to present its plan to members for the transformation of Knock Airport and environs into an international airline facility complete with a town business park. The proposed development which is designed to take place over the space of fifteen years, also incorporates a a plan to provide an emergency helicopter service (HEMS) for the region, something which has long been campaigned for by Mulranny G.P. Dr. Jerry Cowley. The American businessman heading up the consortium is Mr. Art McCabe, a consultant with Massport, a company which manages Logan Airport USA and Boston Port and other airports throughout the world.

£5.5 m. investment in rail service to Mayo The Mayo News.

Senator Frank Chambers said on Monday that contrary to criticism by Deputy Michael Ring T.D., Iarnród Éireann were endeavouring to provide a safe rail service to the people of Mayo. The programme "On Track 2000" involved the upgrading of new tracks, signalling, purchasing of new carriages, on the Dublin to Westport route, which was now in progress. A total of £5.5 million was currently being invested by the Government on the laying of 13 and 1/2 miles of new tracking, not a few hundred yards as incorrectly referred to. This tracking will be laid to the highest standards of engineering and safety between Castlerea and Claremorris. Senator Chambers said "Iarnród Éireann has informed the public of these interruptions on the Intercity train service between Westport and Dublin which commenced on 23rd. of September 2000, and will be completed on 17th. of December 2000. Passengers have been informed that no trains will operate between Castlerea and Westport from mid morning on Mondays until afternoons on Fridays. Also some disruption will take place on Saturday and Sunday. A substitute bus service is being provided between Castlerea and Westport, not a donkey and cart service as unfairly referred to. A modified Train Time Table is available at Westport station for all passengers travelling between now and the 17th. of December 2000. This investment is the start of a new era in rail travel, brought about by this Government. The upgrading of the tracking and carriages will improve the reliability and comfort for all passengers. Some disruption has to take place in order to allow for the work to progress. Iarnród Éireann have informed passengers of the disruption and have provided a scheduled bus service.

Westport's 'No Children' restaurants taken to task The Mayo News this week.

The influential Irish Voice newspaper in the U.S.A. has taken some Westport restaurants to task for their policy of not serving children under a certain age. The New York based publication, which circulates throughout many States in America, has a very substantial readership, especially among the Irish domiciled in the USA and their relatives. In a full page - article the paper deplored the attitude of some Westport restaurants towards children - and in a tourist town that is supposed to have a reputation as a friendly family destination. Mayoman Jim O'Malley, who is based in Brooklyn, New York, said he was very disappointed that his native county had been shown in such a bad light. "This is discrimination of the worst kind. What is happening to 'Friendly Westport' ? I saw a letter in the Mayo News some weeks ago relating to the same thing. Do these restaurateurs not realise that Westport is supposed to be a family destination for visitors. Children have to eat too and many parents can't holiday without bringing their children with them. We are very quick to highlight prejudice and discrimination towards refugees and travellers, but apparently such treatment of children is okay, at least in some of Westport's restaurants."

Govt. and Aer Lingus urged to support Knock Airport The Western People this week.

Speaking on the Aviation Regulation Bill 2000, Deputy Enda Kenny, T.D., Fine Gael Spokesperson on Education and Science, said that while the Government could not assist Knock Airport directly, they could prioritise major projects in the hinterland over which they have control. These would include rapid development of the N5, real investment in rail transport, provision of major water supply schemes and the guarantee of real benefits arising from tapping of the Corrib Oil and Gas Scheme. He called on the Minister to enter discussions with the Airport Board and Aer Lingus to have flights out of Knock to England and by return. "Surely it would make sense, that if there are 60 plus flights a day from Dublin to London that a number of these should fly from Knock Airport. This would allow for people from Longford, Athlone, North Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim to avail of the Knock facility. This in turn would reduce traffic on the major roads and would further reduce gridlock in Dublin. I have written to the Chairman of Aer Lingus to consider this proposal and I would like you Minister to support it strongly also", he said.

Variations in Mayo motor fuel prices The Western People this Tuesday.

Motorists feeling the pinch as a result of rising petrol prices can save considerable sums if they shop around at the pumps. A random survey in a number of areas in Mayo last week showed that there are considerable variations in petrol and diesel prices, even in the same towns. And enquiries across the country revealed that the Mayo prices - even in Castlebar which appeared to be the lowest in the county - are higher than some of those operating in the Dublin area. Last week most prices in Ballina were increased from 75.4p to 78.4p per litre. In Castlebar prices ranged from 75.9p to 78.0p, while in Westport prices ranged from 75.9p to 77.9p. In Sligo the average price appeared to be 75.4p.

Mayo nurse training centre off to a bright start The Western People this week.

The new Nurse Training Centre in Mayo has a first intake of fifty-five students whose ages range from 17 to 45 years and who are pioneering what is expected to be a bright future for health professional training in the county. This was stated on Friday by Dr. Tom Moffatt T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children when he officially welcomed the students to Castlebar and said that the opportunity now exists to develop further training and education programmes. He disclosed that it is envisaged that a range of courses would be developed, including ambulance training, health services management and the new nursing degree. Forty of the students are general nursing and 15 psychiatry and all places were filled in first round offers. There is also a good geographical spread of students from several counties. Dr. Moffatt said the arrival of the nursing students in Castlebar was the culmination of many months of hard work on the part of staff in the Western Health Board and GMIT. The start of the nursing courses was also the vision on the part of the community in Mayo that its people would not have to travel outside of the county to obtain third level education. The start of the courses was also an obvious demonstration by the Government to the community in breathing life into the efforts to develop the West of Ireland.

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