Mayo town's funding complaints met with 'ye're mourning loss of Michael Ring'
COMPLAINTS that Westport is missing out on grant allocations have been met with reminders about what Michael Ring delivered for the town over the years.
There is dissatisfaction after a funding application for a proposed Westport Quay upgrade, involving a €500,000 investment, was unsuccessful. At the same time, a Belmullet project - under a different Gaeltacht scheme - was approved.
While they are tied as the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District (MD), there was a clear divide between west and north during a debate at the monthly meeting of the seven councillors.
Councillor Peter Flynn, cathaoirleach, has hit out at Westport being overlooked for grant funding.
In the last two weeks it was apparent there was significant funding for flooding, with two schemes going in from Belmullet, said Councillor Flynn, who wondered: “How has Westport become the poor relation?”
He sought a meeting with the council's chief executive to discuss how the MD operates.
The head of the MD is only in Westport one day a week - they don't know which day, said Councillor Flynn. And he also bemoaned a lack of presence at events like a recent meeting with the chief superintendent, Chamber of Commerce and Tidy Towns events, and civic receptions.
There are no senior people in Westport and they have missed out on flooding and TVRS funding, he said.
Councillor Flynn added that he wished Belmullet and Achill all the best, but there's something wrong with Westport missing out on applications.
Achill Councillor Paul McNamara hit back that they had lost a councillor in his area, which was a loss of €1 million in GMA funding over a five-year term. And he reminded his colleague: “Ye had 10/15 years of a minister putting everything into ye.”
Councillor McNamara added: “Ye're saying now ye are left behind here in Westport. The reality is ye haven't Michael Ring now to back ye up.
“Ye're mourning the loss of Michael Ring and ye can't hack it.”
Councillor Flynn said these grants go through the council, and he was talking about the council not government.
He was reminded by Councillor Gerry Coyle that the Erris region has 'suffered in silence for years', exporting its gas and wind and getting nothing back. The pool in Westport was heated with their gas, yet the pool in Belmullet is closed.
And Councillor Sean Carey reminded him that they are one MD and Belmullet deserves that the manager can spend some time there, same as Westport.
Councillor Flynn said this wasn't a competition between north and west but about where it's not happening.
On the flooding grants, Councillor Brendan Mulroy found it 'remarkable' that Westport was put into a flooding plain in the Sea Farm report, but then wasn't put forward for flood relief.
Businesses and homes on the Mall can't get insurance and he presumed an application would be made for that area. And if not, it showed scant regard for the people, he said.
Councillor Flynn said the four councillors from west Mayo had never said one word knocking Belmullet or Achill and they wished every part of that area to get everything possible.
What they were talking about is reduction in service levels in their area, with no engagement with community groups.
They cannot accept what has happened in terms of lost grants that are hard to explain and he asked that a request go in to the chief executive for a meeting.
MANAGEMENT RESPONSE
Director of services Joanne Grehan gave a detailed explanation on the Westport Quay and Belmullet grant applications.
Belmullet was a new Gaeltacht stream and every Gaeltacht county could apply for one project. Mayo had two potential projects, with Belmullet successful.
The department was told they did not have planning at the time of submission, she also clarified, but that they expected it by the time the application would go in.
They sought feedback on the unsuccessful Westport project, which she read into the record at the MD meeting.
The call for proposals was oversubscribed. And while the Westport project, submitted by the tourism team, was not successful on this occasion, this decision does not prevent it being submitted for a future funding application.
The tourism team will look at other funding streams, she confirmed.
In addition, the director also commented how over €20 million of department funding is committed in the MD to regeneration projects in Westport and Newport.
And she rebutted the comments on reduction of services. When she looked at everything delivered last year, with the councillors' leadership and support, 'Wesport has not been wanting', with significant investment.
There is a senior team member in the office every day, working with local community groups, and delivering technical projects.
She heard the members' frustation and was happy to sit down to take them on board, but at no point when she sees how hard the team works can she say there is an underperformance with regards service delivery.
There is always room for improvement, added Ms. Grehan, but this area has been very successful in terms of what has been achieved in the last year and that will continue.
* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme