Further Mayo 'black triangle' school closures on the horizon
THE so-called 'black triangle' of east Mayo has once again been singled out as the cheapest place to buy a home in the county, with some properties still changing hands for under €75,000, as stark figures show natural population decline is taking hold.
According to the latest CSO data, Swinford has now joined the list of areas in natural decrease.
An ageing population, emigration, and falling birth rates are fuelling fears that a fresh wave of rural school closures is on the horizon, according to a local councillor.
Sinn Féin Councillor Gerry Murray, who represents the area, said he was 'not one bit surprised' by the statistics.
“We’re known as the black triangle, we’ve been warning for years that without balanced regional development and proper investment in infrastructure, we’d end up here,” he told The Connaught Telegraph.
Councillor Murray pointed to stalled projects, including the Knock airport strategic development zone, a project which is underway and has the potential to deliver 6,000 jobs, but the much-vaunted project is yet to come to full fruition.
The councillor also noted the ongoing delays to the N17 upgrade. “The land is bought to deliver a motorway along that route, but we only have plans to close off a few local access roads.”
Councillor Murray also hit out at what he sees as the delivery of the Western Rail Corridor in 'dribs and drabs'.
“We are heading for another cluster of school closures.
"Some have only stayed open in the area because of refugees being accommodated, but in the next few years, I know there will be three schools in my area that will close.
“The drip-feeding of infrastructure is killing the region,” he said.
Councillor Murray warned that the entire northwest is at risk of being among the least developed regions in Europe by the end of the decade.
“We’re shouting into the wilderness. We’ve huge potential here in the middle of the Atlantic Economic Corridor, but without the roads, the rail and the government support we’ll never see it realised.”
Ultimately, Swinford LEA has been left as the worst-impacted part of a declining region.