Tuesday, 21 May 2013 12:11

A second man has been arrested in connection with an attempted armed robbery at a filling station outside Claremorris earlier this month. He was also charged in connection with crimes in Swinford.

The Mayo native was arrested last Thursday evening and was detained at Claremorris Garda Station.

Files are being prepared for the DPP in relation to crimes in the Claremorris, Swinford and Westport areas.

He was released and is due to appear before Claremorris court today (Tuesday).

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 11:37

TWO Chinese nationals have been sentenced to six years imprisonment after a cannabis grow-house was discovered in an industrial park in Swinford.

The haul of 1,498 cannabis plants had a value of €1.2 million, Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court heard, while cannabis herb worth €8,342 was also found during the raid on October  24 last.

Accused men Xiao Fe Weng and Shi Dong He, who have addresses at Unit 16, Swinford Business Park, Newpark, Swinford, were both illegally in the country at the time of the offence and they were described as being down the food chain in terms of the operation.

Sergeant Thomas McIntyre outlined to Judge Carmel Stewart how a sophisticated cannabis growing operation was in place in the unit at New Park, Swinford, which contained a ‘building within the building’ made principally of wood and insulation.

Weng and He were found in the building. He admitted he knew he was growing cannabis and that it was illegal, while Weng was less forthcoming, claiming he believed it was flowers he was growing.

Neither man had previous convictions. Weng was only in the unit for 11 days prior to his arrest while He was there for a fortnight.

Mr. Bernard Madden, S.C., for Weng, said his client’s circumstances in China were financially poor and he came to Europe to get work to better his family at home. He paid €30,000, which he had borrowed, to be essentially smuggled in.

The pair were at the bottom of the food chain, minding the plants, having been given written instructions. Food for their keep was delivered to the unit.

He, who came to Ireland in 2000 to study English, had sought permission to stay here but was refused. He had worked. There were health issues with his parents and he was sending money home.

Before sentencing both to six years, backdated to October 24 when they were remanded in custody, the judge noted the haul involved drugs valued at €1.2 million, which was a ‘very substantial’ amount.

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 11:32

ORGANISERS of the community rally to save the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar from closure have called for a huge turnout on Monday next, May 27, at 7 p.m.

The rally has been called to highlight the danger of the hospital closing on June 30, 2015, unless remedial works, which will take two years to complete, are not  started immediately.

The rally is being coordinated by Castlebar Fianna Fáil, but local party officers are emphasising that this is not a political rally but a community expression of the worries and concerns of the public at the threatened closure.

Conor Smyth, one of the main organisers, said: “ This will not be an occasion for political propaganda. There will be no political speeches, no political banners, no poltical confrontations.

“We expect every elected representative of all political parties and of none to come out and publicly proclaim their support for the future of the Sacred Heart Hospital.

“This is too serious for point scoring and I confidently expect that goverment representatives, both local and national, will join us in urging our Taoiseach to do the right thing by Castlebar and save our Sacred Heart Hospital.”

The issue of the hospital’s future has recently been highlighted by local councillors Al McDonnell and Blackie Gavin who revealed that they had been briefed by HSE West officials that a €10.43 million investment had been applied for in order to bring the hospital up to new standards demanded by HIQA.

Without these improvements, it is claimed, the hospital’s operating licence will not be renewed when it runs out on June 30, 2015.

The hospital currently employs a staff of 150, catering for 77 long stay and 36 rehab beds.

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 11:20

AS exclusively revealed by The Connaught Telegraph a number of months ago, Mayo General Hospital is to be grouped with hospitals in Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Donegal as part of a rationalisation plan.

The move has been condemned by Castlebar Independent Councillor Michael Kilcoyne as ‘a grave and retrograde step’ for the provision of health services in the county.

He hit out: “We will be forced to play second fiddle by the larger centres in the group when it comes to the allocation of funding. It will result in Mayo General Hospital losing key diagnostic and surgical facilities over the coming years.

“My fear is that it will end up as a recuperation centre even if it succeeds in retaining a number of specialist services.”

Councillor Kilcoyne said he was shocked and saddened to hear Fine Gael elected representatives welcoming the decision as a positive development.

“They were very vociferous when the hospital lost cancer surgical services a number of years ago. Now they are dancing to a completely different tune.

“They will pay a heavy price for opposing a vote of no confidence in Health Minister Dr. James Reilly at the May meeting of Castlebar Town Council, the casting vote of the Mayor, Councillor Brendan Henaghan, blocking it after a 4-4 vote.

“But it exposed the mentality of the party and the electorate will never forgive them for it.”