News from
Mayo
23rd February
2001
Gas Pipeline must servie Ballina and Sligo
CATHAOIRLEACH of Mayo County Council Cllr Annie Mai Reape, has made a personal appeal to the Minister for the Marine, Frank Fahey to ensure that there "is a bend put in the gas pipeline in the direction of Ballina and Sligo". She made the appeal at the annual Muintir Mhaigheo function in Galway where Minister Fahey was also a guest. "Mayo must gain benefit from the discovery of the gas that will flow through the county," said Cllr Reape, as she urged Mayo people living in Galway to impress on the Minister the county's determination to benefit from the gas find off the Erris coast.
Cllr Reape referred to the 'special affinity' that existed between Galway and Mayo and paid tribute to the contribution Mayo people had made to the development of various aspects of life in Galway city and county. "I have made mention of the contribution that Mayo people have made in Galway and, now that I see Minister Frank Fahey here with you, I'll take the opportunity of asking Frank to make a contribution in Mayo," said Cllr Reape. "There is the matter of the gas that is due to come ashore in Mayo and be piped to Galway. I know that the Minister is keen that the gas would go to as many parts of Mayo as is possible.
"I, of course, would be very keen to see the gas delivered to Ballina and on to Sligo and I would suggest to Frank that, as a recognition of the contribution of Mayo people to Galway, and more particularly as a favour to myself, that he would ensure that there is a bend put in the pipe in the direction of Ballina. Mayo must gain benefit from the discovery of the gas that will flow through the county. I am sure you good Mayo people will not be slow to impress on the Minister the determination that exists to see the gas used in Mayo."
Disappointment, Anger greets Kenny omission
THE Omission by new Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan of Mayo Deputy Enda Kenny from his shadow cabinet has led to "huge disappointment" and a "considerable amount of anger" within the constituency organisation. Kenny, Mayo's longest serving TD, with 25 years experience in the Dáil behind him, was surprisingly dropped from the Fine Gael First Team by Noonan following the battle for the leadership of the party, in which Kenny received 40 per cent of the parliamentary party support.
In a move that shocked most political observers, the new leader declined to offer any front bench post to his challenger, claiming that, having preferred Jim Higgins, there was not room in the front bench for two Mayo deputies.
Kenny has received thousands of messages of support from around the county and country, many congratulating him on his decision to contest the leadership and more angry at his omission from the front bench. Following the announcement of the front bench, Kenny made no secret of his disappointment and accused Noonan of "failing to grasp the opportunity" to heal the divisions in the party caused by the mutiny against John Bruton.
School Valentine messages reflect 'sick society'
Parents of pupils attending secondary schools in the region have expressed shock at the 'unbelievable vulgarity' of messages written on Valentine Day cards last week.
A parent who contacted the local newspaper 'The Western People' spoke of the "sick mind(s)" behind a card which was left for her son on a school bus in South Mayo. "The girl or girls who wrote the messages on the card were in Ist or 2nd Year in a local school. The content was sickening and one must question the mind-set of youngsters who indulge in such unbelievable vulgarity. If I was certain of who was behind this, I would have no hesitation in going to their parents. 'Playboy' at its worst would not have featured anything like what was written on the card, " she said. "I have been in touch with the school authorities about the incident. If anyone in ordinary day to day life had written such material and if the source was found out, they would be up in Court for harassment. What happened last week was totally out of order and was completely unacceptable," she said.
It is understood that there were a number of other similar incidents in the region and concern has been expressed by parents in relation to the provocative nature and irresponsible attitudes expressed by the 'authors' of the Valentine cards.
Kiltimagh slurry spill probed
Water in Kiltimagh town was switched off for some hours on Sunday after slurry got into the system at the Glore River on the Swinford road.
A member of the local emergency services that took control of the situation said the spill was not a major one but was big enough to cause an amount of problems. It happened beside the intake point for the town's water supply.
"There was obviously someone with a slurry container in the immediate area. Whether it was an accident or not, we are in no position to say. It must have happened on Saturday evening or sometime during Saturday night as it first became obvious when people put on the kettles to make tea on Sunday morning. There were several complaints of a bad smell from the water," he said.
The system was temporarily shut down while council workers, assisted by members of the Fire Brigade, went about rectifying the situation. Slurry was pumped onto waste land. Filter beds were cleaned out and washed down and the system was then filled with fresh water and drained off at the other end. The emergency services were satisfied that the water condition had been restored to normal by Sunday.
For more news check out the Western People
County Mayo News 23rd February 2001 for County Mayo, Ireland
