Mayo senator seeking to create a healthy, vibrant and connected society

by Nathan Keane

Fine Gael Senator Mark Duffy has described his move from Mayo county councillor to Oireachtas member as “a very rewarding transition.”

“I was elected for two terms in the county council,” Mark began, in an interview with The Connaught Telegraph.

“It’s what makes you, I believe. I am very focused, as a public representative, on making positive change for County Mayo. Mayo County Council is a very good and important grounding to have.

“The transition has been a big change. I have set up an office in Ballina, I have based my staff there. I am in Dublin three days a week. It is a challenge at times - to put in the work up in Dublin, and also be available locally.

“It is a privilege to represent the people of Mayo in the Oireachtas. I go up every Tuesday, making sure I am fighting for the delivery of projects, and helping people in the county. When I come back every Thursday, I always think ‘What have I done to help improve County Mayo?’

“There is a lot of driving, and being away from family, but it is rewarding. I would have been frustrated sometimes as a councillor.

"The county councillor's job is the most difficult, as you are under-resourced, and you have less influence. Now, I am able to go every week and meet with ministers, meet with people who can help me make a positive difference and a positive change. I love every minute of it.”

Senator Duffy then went into more detail about the day-to-day activities of his constituency office in Ballina.

“It is important to have a busy constituency office, because that means that you are listening to people, and picking up things. You deal with personal issues, that may be private and confidential, and you also deal with public issues, projects that people look for help on.

"It is important to have an active office. That means that people can use it to share their ideas or concerns.”

The discussion turned to an issue that is constantly rearing its head - traffic congestion in Ballina.

“If you decide that you can’t do anything about something, then you won’t do anything about anything.

"As a public representative, you can decide to fight and campaign or you can decide to roll over and wait for someone else to do it. In Ballina, we have been waiting for generations for something to be done in relation to traffic congestion. I have a voice on this issue, I am on the joint Oireachtas committee for transport.

“The point I often make is, that in Ballina, the last piece of adequate road infrastructure was built in the 1850s, when the two bridges were built in a short space of time. Since then, there has been nothing in the last 175 years. It is a huge area, and the traffic is being concentrated on two bridges in the town.

“I have demanded that the TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) send down resources, and proactively look at the congestion in the town. Getting investment on this issue is a priority of mine and I am making progress on it. I am fighting for it with every opportunity that I have.”

On his campaign to be elected as a TD in the 2024 general election, Mark stated: “It was a great honour to have been a candidate in the general election, and to have received such strong support.

"To get over 6,000 first preference votes, considering the fact that I was given a quarter of the county to canvas, and that I had a short campaign of less than two months, was incredible.

"It was a brilliant experience. I’m not from a political family or a political background. I didn’t have the same guidance or expertise as you would have traditionally. It was a positive campaign, and I think it resonated with many people. I finished fourth place in a five seater on first preference votes.

“What I learnt from it is that Mayo is a big county, and it is important now that I use the resources in the Seanad to help more people. It is for the people ultimately to decide. All I can do is continue to work with people across the county, and if I am lucky enough to be a candidate the next time, I hope that they give me a mandate. In the short term, I am focused on being a senator.”

I asked Mark what he sees as the major challenges facing Mayo in general, and the first thing he mentioned was housing.

“Housing is the issue of the day, across the county. One of the things that I campaigned for as a county councillor that got full support across the political divide was the Croí Cónaithe grant scheme. Up to 800 people are at different stages of that scheme now, a scheme that will help renovate derelict or vacant properties, putting life back into rural and urban communities.

“Another key aspect is the delivery of social and affordable housing. We are fortunate that, in Ballina, we have 130 social houses being built. I have also been campaigning since I entered the Oireachtas for Ballina and Castlebar to be made eligible for the remit of the Land Development Agency (LDA). The LDA specifically builds buy-to-let and affordable houses at a discount of up to €75,000.

“Transport is another area that I have focused on. Something that I have had a lot of success on is the Western Rail corridor, which will have a transformational effect for all of County Mayo.

"It means that people will be able to get on a train in Mayo, and be in Eyre Square in about 90 minutes, depending on where you are getting on.

“That’s positive for people who have hospital appointments, people who have educational needs, people who are working in the city of Galway. It also means that tourists travelling to Galway, from Dublin, would be able to come to the west coast and go all across Mayo.

"That project is going to be over €500 million. It is very rewarding to see this project come to fruition and remember that without your efforts and endeavours, it wouldn’t be where it is.”

Finally, I asked Mark what his three main priorities are for Mayo over the coming years.

“Firstly, that everyone would have a roof over their head. Secondly, improving transport and connectivity - Knock Airport is a great example of this. And finally, investing in healthcare provision - in Mayo University Hospital, as well as in minor injuries units in the likes of Ballina and Belmullet.

"Ultimately, these are the things we need to do to create a healthy, vibrant, connected society.”