Welcome for measures to control pondweed choking Lough Corrib – O’Mahony

Call for ban on sale of nuisance weed which threatens tourism and environment

Fine Gael Mayo Deputy John O’Mahony has welcomed a response from the Minister for the Environment saying that work to combat the spread of the pondweed, Lagarosiphon Major, on Lough Corrib will begin shortly.

“I welcome the news that work is due to commence on the Corrib to combat the spread of Lagarosiphon. The Minister has confirmed that a weed cutting boat has been provided by his Department, dedicated exclusively to removing this invasive species which originates in Africa. This boat is now moored on Lough Corrib and, according to the Minister, should begin operations shortly.

“This pondweed can grow to 20 feet deep and quickly chokes lakes causing problems for anglers and boating enthusiasts. As a result it can badly affect tourism and its spread has environmental consequences, threatening indigenous wildlife and plants.

“The removal work which is about to begin is most welcome as is additional Department funding to the Central Fisheries Board for the control of Lagarosiphon. However, efforts should be made to curb the importation of this alien pondweed which is believed to have entered Lough Corrib from ornamental ponds. I believe that a complete ban on the sale of Lagarosiphon in this country should be imposed, as has been the case in other countries affected by its spread.”

Ends

Note for editors: see transcript of relevant Dáil question below

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to prevent the spread of Lagarosiphon Major on Lough Corrib, Lough Mask and Lough Carra; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- John O’Mahony.

Lagarosiphon major, also known as the curly-leaved pondweed, is a native of southern Africa. It has been widely sold for many years as an oxygenating plant for garden ponds and aquaria. However, it is viewed as a major threat to Irish lakes and their associated wildlife since it became established in Lough Corrib in 2005. Surveys which have been carried out by the Central Fisheries Board have found no evidence of Lagarosiphon major in either Lough Mask and Lough Carra.

A Lagarosiphon Task Force has been established to address the spread of the pondweed in Lough Corrib and in any other areas where it is identified. The Task Force includes representatives of my Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Central Fisheries Board, the Western Regional Fisheries Board, the Office of Public Works and Galway County Council. Last year my Department provided funding to the Central Fisheries Board to purchase a weed cutting boat to be dedicated exclusively to removing Lagarosiphon major in Lough Corrib. I understand that the boat is now moored on the lake and will begin operations shortly. In this regard, I have provided additional funding of €200,000 this year to the Central Fisheries Board for work involving the removal and control of Lagarosiphon major in the lake.

I am also aware that the Western Regional Fisheries Board recently appointed consultants to undertake a Biosecurity Plan for Lough Mask. The Plan will examine current biosecurity threats including invasive species and take into account the need to protect upstream lakes such as Lough Carra.

O’Mahony calls for awareness programme to highlight the danger of smoking among young people.

Deputy O’Mahony was making his comments in the context of a reply to a Dáil question last week when he asked the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Ms. Wallace) to provide him with the estimated number of young people who smoke.

According to the figures issued to Deputy O’Mahony over a quarter of all girls between the age of 15 and 17 smoke, while for boys in the same age category the figure is slightly less at just under one quarter. “While this is only the reported number of young people that smoke I believe that this figure is much higher”.

“It’s a frightening statistic and I think it’s one that, as a society, we should be very concerned about. There is a real danger that we are ignoring the dangers of tobacco smoking in our efforts to highlight the dangers of alcohol and other addictive substances.

“But the reality is that nicotine is hugely addictive and the knock-on effects to the health of the smoker are well documented. The statistic relating to the number of young women smoking is particularly interesting and is probably related to the myth that smoking helps people keep weight down.

“That is something that we must address immediately and in my role as Fine Gael spokesperson on Sport, part of my brief is to encourage people to participate in sporting activity. If young women and men want to avoid putting on weight then I believe that proper exercise is the way to achieve that, and certainly not smoking.

“We have to drive that message home to young people. I know we have had many campaigns over the years about the dangers of smoking but if the figures that I have obtained are anything to go by then they haven’t worked. It’s time we looked at the issue again and reinforced to everyone just how awful smoking related illnesses really are. I’ll be calling on Minister Andrews to deal with this issue as soon as possible,” he said.

ENDS

Note Editors below is the Parliamentary Question tabled by John O’ Mahony TD

QUESTION NO: 244

DÁIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Ms. Wallace)
by Deputy John O’Mahony
for WRITTEN ANSWER on 27/05/2008
* To ask the Minister for Health and Children the estimated number of young people by gender below the age of 18 who smoke; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

John O’Mahony T.D.
REPLY.
In August 2007 my Department published the results of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study 2006. The data from the HBSC Study, which is undertaken every four years, provides a comprehensive picture of the health behaviours, including smoking, of school-aged children. The percentage of boys and girls who report that they are current smokers, by age category, is shown in the following table.

Ages Boys Girls
10 -11 years 3% 2%
12-14 years 10% 11%
15-17 years 23% 28%

Calleary and Flynn vote to have cancer services moved from Mayo General

Calleary and Flynn vote to have cancer services moved from Mayo General

Speech by John O’Mahony TD on the Fine Gael Private Members’ Motion on North West Cancer Services

I am delighted to have this opportunity to once more put on the record of this house my views on our cancer services in the West and North West. I commend our health spokesperson Deputy James Reilly and our party leader Deputy Enda Kenny for bringing to this chamber what has been one of the most emotive issues among the people of Mayo for many years.

The motion this evening has nothing to do with preventing or impeding the establishment of centres of excellence throughout this country.

It is not about advocating the operation of cancer services that fail to meet the highest standards of audit. We are not looking for the investment of millions of euro for the provision of additional services that we do not already have.

We are demanding the retention of the cancer services that have been built up passionately and expertly over the years by the consultants, doctors, nurses and staff of Mayo General Hospital and Sligo General Hospital. These satellite services have operated successfully with full mandate from the Department of Health and with full clinical support from University College Hospital Galway. The multidisciplinary approach of the teams at these hospitals has ensured that the clinical outcomes of every patient treated in Mayo and Sligo stand up to the highest scrutiny. Professor Brendan Drumm is on record as having publicly acknowledged the high quality of surgical care currently provided by Mayo General Hospital. We deserve and will accept nothing less in the future.

I fully support the provision of a satellite unit at Letterkenny General Hospital under the responsibility of University College Hospital Galway. This was rightly recommended in the National Cancer Strategy on the basis of the particular and unique geographical circumstances of Donegal.

Why have the geographical circumstances of Mayo not been taken into account in the provision of cancer services for this region? Have the decision-makers any idea of the isolation felt by the women in Ballina, Belmullet, Ballycastle, Achill or the Islands? Have they any clue as to the standard of roads and transport services in these areas? These people can only dream of motorways, dual carriageways, Luas, Rail or bus services that could get them to Galway efficiently and on time.

Why can’t the views of the hundreds of women from Mayo who have been successfully operated on, treated and cured, and their families, that are watching this debate here tonight be taken into account?

Why can’t the views of the consultants who have provided these services to such a high standard in Mayo and Sligo be taken into account? Why were Professor Kevin Barry and his consultant colleagues forced to come out recently to publicly support the retention of the present services at Mayo General Hospital as a result of misrepresentations of their views given in this house by Minister Harney?

Why have the views of the thousands of people who marched in Castlebar last October in support of the retention of cancer services in Mayo, been ignored by Minister Harney as well as our local government TDs, Deputies Flynn and Calleary? We in Mayo have been told in recent days that Deputies Flynn and Calleary intend to vote against this motion and rather work from within to retain services and even get additional ones. If there was evidence of any progress I would be the first to shake their hand, however based on their efforts of the last number of months in this respect we won’t be holding our breath. They pledged the 10,000 people in Castlebar their support last October – tomorrow night is their chance to walk the walk and uphold this pledge.

There are a number of other questions that need to be clarified on this debate by the Minister. On her recent visit to Mayo General Hospital to launch the mobile breast cancer unit, Minister Harney clearly stated that the number of breast surgeries performed in Castlebar last year (2007) was 37 though the actual number that has been verified Professor Barry and his colleagues as 97. Can the Minister stand by her claim though the certified evidence on the ground contradicts this? This is not just a difference of 6 but 60 cases – surely the Minister can acknowledge the gravity of this misrepresentation. How are we expected to have confidence in a decision which is based on a misrepresentation of the figures of operations performed?

Also it is important to state that this motion actually supports what was HSE and Government policy as recently as December 2006 when it was envisaged that the newly-established clinical network between Letterkenny General Hospital and University College Hospital Galway would work alongside the Mayo and Sligo hospitals. Can the Minister explain what changed between December 2006 and June 2007?

Furthermore how can the Minister tell us that the cancer services currently available in Mayo will be moved by the end of the year when there is no evidence on the ground that Galway, already under pressure to deal with existing demand, will be ready to cope with an increased demand in the short term? This transition cannot be achieved within this timeframe without women’s lives being put at risk.

National Sports Audit Underway But Local Authorities Must Be Resourced To Follow Through – O’Mahony

The Fine Gael Spokesman with special responsibility for Sport, John O’Mahony TD, has called on the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, Martin Cullen, to ensure that local authorities are provided with sufficient resources to carry out the national audit of sports facilities at local level.

Minister Cullen told Deputy O’Mahony last week that the nationwide audit of sports facilities had commenced and was being carried out in stages to help speed up the availability of information.

“The Minister informs me that phase one, which focused on national and regional sports facilities, has been completed. Phase two of the audit, which is a more complex undertaking to establish a record of existing sports facilities at local level and identifying the need for future provision, will be undertaken during 2008 with the assistance of Local Authorities. Guidelines have now been issued to Local Authorities to assist them in carrying out the audit.

“If Local Authorities are to successfully carry out an audit on the sports facilities in their areas they would require extra resources to put in place the facilities that would be identified as necessary.

“I welcome the fact that the audit has commenced. When completed, it will provide a strategy for the identification of facilities requirement for sport throughout our country. The plan is to identify what we have and then plan for what we don’t have so that all the people who want to take part in sport will be given the opportunity to do so at the level that they are best suited to.

“It’s important that this audit is followed by action – it’s fine talking about the audit but to follow it through will require real commitment from Minister Cullen.”

Ends

Note for editors: see Dáil question below

DAIL QUESTION
NO.110
To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made in the relation to the national audit of sports facilities; when he expects to finalise the national sports facility strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- John O’Mahony.

For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 13th May, 2008

Ref No: 17629/08 Lottery: 89

Resubmitted from (DFA) 08/05/2008 — White No 2 — Old Proof No.

R E P L Y
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Martin Cullen T.D.): The nationwide audit of sports facilities has commenced and is being carried out in stages to help speed up the availability of information. Phase one, which focuses on national and regional sports facilities, has now been completed within my Department. Phase two of the audit, which is a more complex undertaking to establish a record of existing sports facilities at local level and identifying the need for future provision, will be undertaken during 2008 with the assistance of Local Authorities. Guidelines have now been issued to Local Authorities to assist them in carrying out the audit.

The audit is part of a wider exercise to put in place a more strategic approach to the provision of sports facilities in Ireland. Work on the National Sports Facility Strategy is currently underway in my Department. An inter-agency steering group was established to oversee the development of the strategy and consultants, involving both national and international experts in the area of sports facilities, were engaged to assist in the preparation of the strategy. The consultants report is being finalised at present and will then be appraised by the steering group.
The aim of the strategy is to provide high-level policy direction for future investment/grant assistance at national, regional and local level. It is intended to identify the facilities requirement for sport so that participation at reasonable cost is feasible for those who wish to engage in sport at either amateur or elite level.

O’Mahony welcomes progress on bus Shelters for Swinford and Charlestown

Deputy O’Mahony brought the issue to public attention earlier this year when he called on Bus Éireann to provide the much sought after shelters in the East Mayo towns following many representations he received on the matter.

“I’m absolutely delighted that Bus Éireann have taken my representations on board and that they see the merit in the idea. The people who travel by bus in both Charlestown and Swinford are entitled to stay dry when waiting for their bus to arrive and I am certain that the news will be welcomed by many people in both towns,” he said.

O’Mahony questions Minister over Olympic Games at Arts, Sports and Tourism question time 13th May 2008.

78. Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when the Government will decide if it will attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games; if he will confirm that whatever decision is made on same will have no bearing on Ireland’s participation in the games; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Read more

Mayo neglected once more – O’Mahony

For many years now Mayo has been neglected by Fianna Fáil led governments and this was a chance to prove to the people of this county that they deserved access to the corridors of power but this has failed to materialised yet again   Currently Mayo is suffering from the lack infrastructure, such as proper broadband, roads and rail network and there is a long list of schools that are waiting years for funding.

Health Minister should come clean on number of cancer procedures at Mayo General – O’Mahony

Mayo Fine Gael Deputy John O’Mahony is calling on Health Minister Mary Harney to come clean on the number of mastectomies carried out at Mayo General Hospital.

“The Minister stated in Castlebar this morning (Thursday) that only 34 procedures were carried out, while this afternoon the hospital management said that 94 procedures were carried at Mayo General last year.

“The required number of surgeries needed to be carried out each year under the national cancer plan for a satellite unit like Mayo General is 50 per year so the Minister’s plans to close the cancer unit seem to be based on incorrect figures.

“Mayo is more that meeting the designated target and it is high time that Mary Harney got her figures correct. I will be questioning the Minister when the Dáil returns on Wednesday.”