Five things to look out for in Mayo politics in 2026

A new year signals fresh departures, but taking a glimpse at the local political scene, it will be fascinating to envision a year in advance.

Using the previous 12 months as a benchmark, we can begin to predict some of the biggest trends and talking points from our local elected representatives as they head into their third year of office.

1. Opposition woes and non-alignment

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael hold the reins of power. It is a symbiotic partnership that has helped council meetings move with record fluidity; there is a sense of getting down to it and doing the jobs that will be beneficial to the respective standings of the two parties.

Yet it is perhaps most intriguing to note how the historic alliance of two former enemies has put noses out of joint among opposition members.

In a council chamber that increasingly resembles Dáil Éireann in its make-up, the FF/FG brigade appear cosy, largely undisturbed by any opposition rabble-rousing.

Independents still make up a significant chunk of councillors and, in the previous term, their partnership with Fianna Fáil was widely castigated by Fine Gael. Now, with the addition of an Aontú councillor following the 2024 election of Paul Lawless - and with his sister continuing a policy of non-alignment - the technical grouping has been further weakened.

Michael Kilcoyne, in the opposition ranks, remains a fearsome political beast, as does Patsy O’Brien, while Harry Barrett has certainly picked up the mantle from Christy Hyland in hammering messages across the floor of the chamber.

While the chains swap between the two parties in power, keeping an eye on the manoeuvres of the outsiders will be fascinating to watch.

2. Housing – serviced sites, dereliction levy and Croí Cónaithe

Housing remains the be-all and end-all of political, policy and Irish life.

The latest Daft.ie reports signal in stark figures what councillors on the ground have known for the past two years: the housing crisis is being sorely felt in Mayo, with stock available to purchase close to an all-time low.

Government policy has placed sharp focus on large-scale developments and apartments.

However, property magnates are unlikely to alleviate the issue in rural counties like ours. Instead, dereliction and vacancy will be key to unlocking housing supply in 2026. Minister James Browne informed me in Mulranny last autumn that he is going to war on dereliction; Mayo County Council needs to be prepared for that.

Developments such as the scheme on Lower Charles Street will need to be replicated across the county — not just for urban renewal, but to give people confidence in the local authority’s ability to rejuvenate the housing stock.

Croí Cónaithe issues also arose throughout 2025, with the scheme becoming a victim of its own success. Whether waiting times for those seeking access to the €50,000 grant for vacant properties, or €70,000 for derelict homes, will be sped up in the new year will be closely monitored by councillors who have faced a barrage of complaints from constituents awaiting final payments.

Over-the-shop grants have also been increased to €140,000. Fingers crossed that this news has fallen on receptive ears, and that towns and villages across Mayo will soon be met with a streetscape of scaffolding — replacing the far too familiar sight of slipping slates and ivy creeping across windowsills.

Peter Flynn is keen to champion serviced sites provided by the local authority across the county. A pilot scheme will surely commence this year, with success measured by the number of applicants, followed by the steady identification of zoned land ready for replication across all municipal districts — crucially, not just in the major towns.

3. Castlebar URDF realisation

If there is one New Year wish shared by the scribes of this paper, it is to finally see life breathed into the historic core of the county town.

The old post office and the nascent youth club should open their doors by the summer months, with works potentially commencing on the Mall to update and reinvigorate the landmark thoroughfare.

Whether ground will finally be broken on the Imperial Hotel remains anyone’s guess. Now officially a decade in the making, any commencement in 2026 would be well overdue. Preparatory works on the ‘iconic eyesore of Ellison Street’ are also expected in the first quarter of the year, which should at least improve the façade of the county town.

4. Sean Carey prepares to hand the reins to FG — but not before a trip to NYC

Fianna Fáil’s Sean Carey is halfway through his spell as cathaoirleach, a role in which he has excelled. His penchant for speeches and representing the fine people of Erris has stood him in good stead.

There is still time left for the Corclough native to enjoy the role. The annual Cathaoirleach Awards take place next month, with a trip to New York City likely on the cards for St. Patrick’s Day. His predecessor John O’Hara spoke with immense pride about his time wearing the chains of office while in NYC.

Carey is expected to meet newly minted mayor and celebrity A-lister Zohran Mamdani in the Big Apple before the end of his tenure.

Undoubtedly, Carey will have as many acolytes from the parish of Kilmore greeting him on the East Coast as the democratic socialist enjoyed at his inauguration on New Year’s Day.

Fine Gael's Ger Deere will replace him in the hot seat if everything goes according to plan.

But when will we see our county’s second-ever female cathaoirleach, more than two decades after Annie-May Reape broke ground in 2000?

5. Wind turbines and the real call for councillors

Councillors are in a heap trying to identify which way the wind is blowing when it comes to renewable energy. It has become a thorny issue in Mayo, with new areas under consideration and a more modern strategic plan set to come before the full council in the coming months.

The wind capabilities onshore in north Mayo are as good as anything offshore elsewhere in Europe. Mayo has a resource, but bickering over returns on investment and community benefit funds has, in my view, regressed political discourse.

Perhaps, with the bountiful wind asset at our disposal, there should be calls for an urgent meeting with the IDA to identify a site in the county for a large energy-producing company to set up shop. I am not talking about a soulless data centre, but a productive factory on the scale of Intel.

Galway has opened its doors to microchip companies, so why can’t Mayo?

With an international airport, wind energy and improving rail infrastructure, the county could yet position itself as an ideal location on the west coast.

The community benefit from such a project and collective action from councillors in making it happen would outweigh anything from pitiful small-scale grants currently in operation and unfortunately constrained by the grid.