What it Says in the Castlebar and Mayo Papers

April 18th, 2001

Connaught Telegraph

The Mayo News

The Western People

Beverley to appeal Jury ruling The Connaught Telegraph this week.

Beverley Cooper-Flynn is to appeal to the Supreme Court the decision of the High Court jury not to find in her favour following her mammoth libel action against RTE, chief news reporter Charlie Bird and retired farmer James Howard. A source close to the Castlebar Dail Deputy confirmed last night (Tuesday) that the appeal was 'definitely going ahead.' The Fianna Fail T.D. is expected to formally announce her decision within the coming days. If her appeal is successful in the Supreme Court, there will be a full retrial of the case which is the longest libel trial in the history of the state. Beverley Cooper-Flynn declined to comment on the Connaught Telegraph's discovery that an appeal was proceeding. But she stated "I have always maintained my innocence. I said from the very beginning that I never induced others to avoid paying tax and I stand over that position. I was prepared, at my own expense, to take RTE, Charlie Bird and Charles Howard to court to clear my name. I vehemently disagreed with the jury's decision."

Multi-million pound boost for Knock Airport The Connaught Telegraph this week.

A multi-million pound jobs programme for Knock Airport will be unveiled today (Wednesday). Plans for the development which will be based on the 140 acre Knock Airport Industrial Park, will be announced at noon today by the Knock Airport Board of Directors and major investors. The Connaught Telegraph has learned from to a source close to the airport that the anchor tenant for the Industrial Park will be revealed at the press conference. It is understood that it will involve the creation of 'many, many well paid jobs' which will come on stream over the next three to five years. Other projects for the Industrial Park will be announced in due course over a period of time.

Legal wrangles over problematic road scheme The Connaught Telegraph this week.

A multi-million pounds road development scheme in Castlebar has run into legal difficulties. Mr Tony McNulty, senior roads engineer with Mayo County Council, confirmed that some residents in the area have initiated legal proceedings to increase their level of compensation. The official said all lands in the area had been acquired by compulsory purchase order and arbitrator was involved in deciding costs and accommodation works. "We told the property owners to hire the best technical and legal advice so that they come to arbitration and make their best possible case. Now it has turned out that some of them are not happy with what was agreed at arbitration. They have fallen out with their technical representatives. The situation has become very difficult. But we cannot reconvene the arbitration process." Deputy Beverley Cooper Flynn wanted to know who was accountable, the council or the contractor. She said it took her a long time to get a response to queries in relation to the scheme. Mr Joe Beirne, county engineer, said part of the contractor's responsibility was traffic control. "When there is a problem we try and bring it on line." In regard to Councillor Cooper Flynn's concerns he said all representations should be directed to the council not the contractor. Mr. Michael Burke pointed out that the traffic lights at Saleen were not working in sequence and the lights should favour the flow coming into town in the morning and going out of it in the evening. "The level of chaos there is crazy," he added.

Sixty nine new high-tech jobs for Knock Airport The Mayo News this week.

Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, has announced the establishment of Xonen Technologies Ltd., a new Irish high technology start-up company at Knock International Airport. Sixty-nine new jobs will be created within two years. Enterprise Ireland is supporting the £1.8 million project and the company will engage in extensive research and development for the development and production of a glass mastering technology for the CD/DVD reproduction industry. 3I, Europe's leading venture capital firm, is also a substantial investor in the project. Glass mastering is the first critical step in DVD production where the glass master is the original disc from which all future CDs or DVDs will be reproduced. Making the announcement the Tánaiste said "The establishment of a new high tech research and development company in the heart of the BMW region is a significant boost for this part of the country".

CCTV to combat Castlebar crime The Mayo News.

Closed-circuit TV is being seriously considered by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. John O'Donoghue, as a means of combating crime on the principal streets of Castlebar. An application for such a system was lodged with the Minister's department several years ago after Castlebar Chamber of Commerce and local business interests pledged over £100,000 towards its provision. Last November the Department of Justice pledged a £12 million CCTV programme over three years for selected towns and pressure is mounting to have Castlebar included. Cameras for the system range in price from £20,000 to £25,000. Deputy Enda Kenny said serious money had been pledged in Castlebar in the interests of making the town a better place, but this had not been recognised by the Minister or his Department. Deputy Kenny said he knew that the problems with CCTV involved extra Garda personnel, accommodation and civil works. But the fact remained that up to now at least the Minister had not acted in relation to the Castlebar application and he still feared that he would not do so.

Rates collected in Mayo amounted to almost £5 million in 2000 The Mayo News this week.

Almost £5 million in rates was collected by Mayo County Council during the year 2000, which accounts for 96% of all rates due in the county for that year. A report on the rate collection, drawn up Sean Smyth, Finance Officer with Mayo County Council, was welcomed by councillors at this month's meeting of the authority. Cllr Pat Kilbane said that in rural areas rate payers were fast becoming an endangered species, despite the fact that without rate-payments, the council would not be able to finance its many community development schemes. "I want to acknowledge what this council is doing through its schemes of keeping life in communities and giving families the opportunity of staying in their areas. The work carried out by the rate-payers must also be acknowledged. The very high amount of money we have collected is a fantastic achievement," he said. Mayo County Manager, Mr. Des Mahon, extended his congratulations to the rate-payers whose percentage intake, he said, was higher than in any other year.

Campaign for better roads steps up a gear The Western People this week.

The campaign for decent roads in Mayo and the West generally is to step up a gear from next week when a public meeting is to be held in Castlebar with the aim of putting the action into the fast lane. A Western Roads Action Committee, headed by former Mayo IFA chairman Michael Holmes, has been working behind the scenes for some time and has now formed a strong committee which is representative of business, commerce and other interests in County Mayo and the West. Initially the goal was to highlight and get improvements to the N5 and then expanding to include other vital infrastructure including energy, IT infrastructure, rail network, airport and tourism. In advance of the public meeting, in the Travellers Friend Hotel, Castlebar at 8:30 on Thursday 19th the group said priority needs to be given to the N5. They have pointed out that in discussions with the National Roads Authority they discovered that sections of this vital route would not be improved until 2019. The group wants this road fast-tracked and to be done in its entirety between 2001 and 2004.

Champions The Western People this Tuesday.

Who said that Mayo teams could not win All-Ireland finals at Croke Park? Well that myth was well and truly buried at the headquarters of the G.A.A. on Monday afternoon when the Mayo and Connacht champions claimed a memorable and quite superb victory over Nemo Rangers. The greatest day in the history of Deel Rovers was marked by a remarkable display that had all the hallmarks of a team at the peak of its powers. It was one of those days that will not be easily forgotten. How long (feels like forever) have we been waiting team to go on to Croke Park on All-Ireland final day and play with the swagger that Crossmolina displayed on Monday, particularly in the second half when they had all the answers to the questions that were asked by Nemo in the first thirty minutes. Cork teams, in particular, have always seemed to have some type of hex on the Mayo representatives, and if Monday's victory served as nothing more than ridding us of that perceived 'inferiority complex,' then the footballers of Crossmolina are owed a debt of gratitude by every footballer from Mayo that togs out at headquarters.

More jobs as Ballina plant Oasis becomes European HQ The Western People this week.

Thirty new jobs are being provided at the Oasis plant in Ballina and the town is to become the European Headquarters for Oasis with a subsidiary plant going into production in Poland this week. The increase brings the number employed to 230 at the facility where a new production line has been completed. The company is one of the World's leading makers of water coolers and dehumidifiers. The Ballina plant was established in 1992. James Preston, General Manager, said they were setting up a research and development unit in Ballina as well as strengthening their engineering team.

Go to Castlebar