O’Mahony hits out at planned closure of Mayo courts

“Traditionally, in this country, people have had access to justice in their own county but this decision by the Courts Service means that people from the Charlestown, Barnacoige, Sonnagh and Kilkelly area will have to go to Tubbercurry which is in another county (Sligo) for their District Court sittings. The District Court is an essential part of the very fabric of rural life and its removal from a town like Charlestown is like another nail in the coffin. It’s simply not acceptable that the people of Charlestown will have to leave Mayo to access their court service. Other people that will be affected include the court staff, gardai, legal profession and the media, ” he said.

Insofar as the decisions to merge Ballyhaunis and Ballinrobe with Claremorris and Swinford and Claremorris and Westport respectively, Deputy O’Mahony, said the same set of circumstances applied to court users in those areas as in Charlestown. “You’re going to have people travelling long distances to attend court. Part of the Ballyhaunis court will now sit in Castlerea, another example of the service leaving the county for Roscommon, while people from the area using the service will also have to travel to either Claremorris or Swinford. Similarly, Ballinrobe court users will have to go to either Claremorris or Westport. It’s just not good enough,” he said.

Deputy O’Mahony said that the overall restructuring of the Courts Service was another example of ‘centralisation’ at a time when the stated policy of the Government was ‘decentralisation’. “If you examine it carefully, you see the Central Criminal Court sitting outside of Dublin more frequently and it’s the same with other higher courts. But here, we’re looking at an essential service contracting inwards at a time when more and more people require the use of the courts. I accept that systems must be reviewed and reformed but I can’t accept that removing courts such as Charlestown, Ballyhaunis and Ballnrobe District Courts from the system is the way forward,” he said.

 

Minister criticised over stance on Mandelson

Deputy O’Mahony requested the Minister to disclose the Departments assessment of the proposal but in a reply, Minister Brendan Smith said he felt it was inappropriate to publicly release the analysis undertaken by his officials. He said he felt that such a course of action could undermine Ireland’s position in the negotiations. However, Deputy O’Mahony said that the Ministers reply was wholly unconvincing. “Compare his position with that of the IFA. What comes across from this reply is that it is extremely doubtful that the Department has carried out the kind of forensic analysis of the consequences of the Mandelson as has been done by the IFA. The Minister is not achieving anything by not divulging what his Departments assessment of the Mandelson proposals is. This position is in stark contrast to that of the IFA who have been remarkably proactive at all times in this campaign and their role in campaigning for their member’s future deserves to be highlighted. The least the farmers of this country deserve is for their Minister to inform them of his assessment of exactly what is happening,” he said.

O’Mahony pays tribute to Mayo soccer community

“I’ve been around the county all week with the FAI and I have to say it’s left a lasting impression on everyone. As a Mayo person I was aware of how proactive the soccer community was in Mayo but it’s been great this week showing off the wonderful facilities to the top people within the FAI,” he said. Deputy O’Mahony said the Mayo FA deserve huge credit for their work over the years. “It’s because of the direction provided by the Mayo FA that the game has progressed to the point it’s at now. The clubs too and all the various coaches and players deserve to be lauded for their work. This week has been a huge success and everyone involved deserves to be congratulated,” he said.

O’Mahony welcomes new bus service from Mayo to Dublin Airport

“It’s a fantastic development for people from Mayo who use Dublin Airport. It means that the prohibitive cost of parking at the airport will be a thing of the past while the actual cost of driving to Dublin will also no longer be a factor for passengers. A lot of Mayo people were used to availing of the IWAK to Dublin service but with that not running now, this new service would be of immense benefit,” he said. Deputy O’Mahony said that the tourism industry in the county will also be a major beneficiary from this new development. “When tourists arrive in a country and they see a public transport service available then there is every chance that they will avail of it. All in all, this is a good new story for Mayo and it’s to be welcomed by everyone,” he said.

WRC must be completed on target – O’Mahony

Deputy O’Mahony said the grapevine was rife with rumours that the WRC could be delayed as part of the package of cutbacks and he is anxious to receive official notification from the Minister that this is not the case. “I’ve a question tabled for the Minister next week in the Dail which should help allay any fears that the project will be postponed. I’m not interested in being a prophet of doom but I do want to know is there any basis to those rumours. “As far as I am concerned the situation is quite simple. The WRC cannot be delayed or postponed and it has to be completed on time. Its total cost is less than half of one percent of the total cost of Transport 21 so there are no financial grounds for a cutback. When the economy was booming here in Ireland, the BMW counties didn’t receive the type of infrastructural investment it should have and there was in fact a significant under spend in the region on major projects. “So, why should we suffer when there’s a downturn? There are 18 major projects planned for the Transport 21 programme and 14 of those are in the Greater Dublin area. There is only one earmarked for the west – the WRC – and it would be unthinkable for the Government to decide to delay its completion. “The WRC makes so much social and economic sense. The social argument has been well and truly aired but it’s worth saying again that if we’re to persuade people to use public transport, the infrastructure must be in place to allow them to do so and with that in mind, it’s imperative that the WRC is completed on schedule with no delays or cutbacks,” said Deputy O’Mahony.

O’Mahony welcomes clean up of Charlestown river

Deputy O’Mahony said he was delighted to see that his representations to both bodies had paid dividends and the river was now a major amenity both for locals and visitors alike to Charlestown.
“The state of the river had become a cause of concern for local people and they had alerted me to it. The OPW deserve great credit for the job they’ve done there to date and credit must also go to Mayo County Council for their co-operation. When it’s completed Charlestown people will be very proud of it.
“The 300 metre section downstream from the bridge to the old railway station is now complete and work is now in progress on the 100 metre upstream section. The Well Walk will also be a huge asset for local people who want to use the area for leisure walking. I’m really delighted with the quality of the work and it will provide a great boost for the town,” said Deputy O’Mahony, who added that he hoped that work on installing lights on the bridge will commence shortly

Sewage still seeping into Kiltimagh stream one year after new scheme sanctioned

The Scheme was sanctioned prior to the election but over twelve months later work has yet to commence.
According to Deputy O’Mahony the delay is unacceptable and after viewing more photographs of raw sewage entering the stream in the town, he has again called for work to start immediately.
“When is Kiltimagh going to get the scheme it deserves so urgently? I have just viewed some pictures of raw sewage entering the stream beside the existing Treatment Plant and I have to say I am horrified. A local fisherman took these pictures on Tuesday last, July 1st, ironically in the same area that I personally viewed along with Cllr Eugene Lavin before the election last year.
“It is just not good enough that the scheme has not commenced construction at this stage. There are two phases to this project with the first one being the laying of new sewers and appropriate drainage works throughout the town. Phase 2 will involve the construction of a new treatment plant on the site of the existing outdated and dilapidated treatment works. My understanding is that a contractor is ready to commence work on the Phase 1 of the project but I am led to believe that the Department of the Environment is stalling the project up because they are not prepared to allocate funds to cover the costs of resurfacing the streets of Kiltimagh town on completion of the sewerage scheme.
“Tender documents for Phase 2 have only recently been opened and I am very concerned that this particular phase will not commence until next year at the earliest. I am calling on the Fianna Fail Oireachtas members in Mayo to raise this matter immediately and exert political pressure on Minister Gormley to enable this scheme get underway as soon as possible,” he said.

O’Mahohny hits back at HSE claims over mental health cutbacks

He has also countered claims by the HSE that there was no official opening planned for the Centre last week.
Deputy O’Mahony said the HSE was ’splitting hairs’ in its statement when it said that clinical services are continuing as normal at the Centre. “The facts are quite straightforward and services have been cut back. For example, the creative writing therapy has been reduced from 20 hours each week to just 18 hours per month. That equates roughly to four hours each week, a drastic reduction from the service that was being provided. There also are cutbacks in the Gym/Fitness programme from 28 hours to 4 hours. These are facts and cannot be contradicted.
“I did not say that clinical services were being withdrawn from the Centre and I fully accept that the staff providing the services there do a wonderful job and work to the highest standard. The services that I referred to were the alternative, non-conventional, holistic type that were proving so successful within the community they were serving,” he said.
According to Deputy O’Mahony the success of the treatment centres can be gauged from talking to people who avail of the services.

“Since this controversy arose I have been in contact with numerous people who have used the services and their stories are nearly all the same. One person told me that the service in the day centre in Swinford saved her life. She had suffered mental health problems for years and at one stage had attempted suicide. She spoke positively of the efforts by the medical people but had only regained her zest for life after she was introduced to the services in The Willows. This woman has had her life given back to her but now she’s worried that people who are suffering like she used to suffer will be deprived of the services that saved her.

What stronger recommendation can be given to persuade the HSE not to cut back the services there any more?” he said.
In relation to the claim by the HSE that the official opening was not planned for last week, Deputy O’Mahony again refuted it. “The opening was planned. Cllr Joe Mellett had contacted Ulick McEvaddy and he had agreed to perform the opening last week. They are the facts,” he said.