Mayo County Council is dealing with a burst water main in Foxford this evening.

The burst is to a large main which is located on the Swinford road.

It is at a significant depth on that road.

Council crews are working to resolve the issue at present but there is no estimated time for restoration of supply just yet.

Mayo County Council says it is fully supportive of a project which will involve the laying of a fibre optic cable in Clew Bay.

The local authority’s Head of Marine Michael O’Boyle was speaking after concerns were voiced by the Clare Island Fishermen’s Group at a public meeting this month and also on Midwest News earlier this week.

Their spokesperson George O’Malley said it is proposed to lay the cable in a free floating unanchored way, on a 25-30km, stretch of seabed north of Clare Island and west of Achill and it is proposed to hold responsible any vessel which snags this cable, which the group says effectively creates a serious hazard at sea.

The group is also concerned about where the cable is due to make landfall – close to the harbour at Old Head. They say it would cause serious issues and danger for the passenger ferries at that location and are also concerned about the impact on the future development of Old Head as a possible deep sea port.

In a statement to Midwest News in response yesterday, Aqua Comms, the company seeking the foreshore licence for the project said: there are over one million miles of subsea cable laid across the world and they are a simple and safe technology that facilitate our phone, TV and internet communications.

There are currently 20 cables landing in Ireland and they do not represent either an obstruction or a hazard.  

They said the concerns raised are all perfectly understandable, but they are confident that theycan address each and every one.

• The narrow 4-centimetre wide cable will be buried two meters below the seabed. 

• It has a reinforced protective steel coating, weighs 4 kg per metre and cannot float.

• For a small portion of rocky outcrop the cable will be fixed firmly to the seabed, by virtue of its weight and the tension applied.

• The cable is too heavy and strong to be lifted by a fishing boat but if damaged, it automatically switches off.

They also say that they have had a positive engagement with the local ferry operator and from our engagement with the Council we are confident that the cable will not hamper any future development of Old Head.

Michael O’Boyle has echoed those sentiments and said the council is very excited about the arrival of this second cable on our coastline. He says the technology is safe and is environmentally benign.

He told Midwest News today that the local authority is extremely confident about the safety of this cable.

A spokesperson for Mayo County Council has told Midwest News that their gritting crews will be on stand-by this weekend to deal with the hot weather’s impact on the tar.

Martina Hughes, Head of Communications said so far this week, crews have been busy gritting the worst affected areas and they will continue to do so over the course of the weekend.

Motorists are asked to exercise caution when travelling in the hot weather.

Ms Hughes also reminded people to be mindful of the Met Eireann Weather warnings in place, householder, farmers and businesses are asked to avoid un-necessary use of water to prevent any weather-related shortages and encourage people to take extra care in the water and exercise caution at all times.

Motorists are also advised to keep their windshields clean, adjust your speed when driving in the sun and understand that other drivers may also slow down significantly, or even stop suddenly due to sun glare.

Continue to use your headlights, even on very bright days and look after animals and never leave dogs unattended in vehicles during the hot weather.

Another heatwave related issue is forest and gorse fires. Mayo County Council’s Fire Department is warning people not to light fires, that also includes camp fires and bonfires, either intentionally or accidently during the extremely dry weather.

Mayo County Council has signed up to a partnership with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.

At a ceremony during the Mayo Day event at Turlough House in Castlebar, then Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Blackie Gavin and Chief Executive Peter Hynes signed a framework agreement with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan to formalise Mayo County Council’s long-term commitment to support pollinators in the county.

The plan is a cross-sector initiative, led by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, with local authorities, farmers, businesses, schools and local communities to support pollinators such as bees. Ireland depends on pollinating insects to pollinate our crops, fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately many of our pollinators are now threatened with extinction.

Parks Superintendent with Mayo County Council Peter Gill told Midwest News that the plan is a progressive and necessary one. 

Despite not attending today's meeting, Mayo County Council have nominated Sean Gallagher to run as a candidate in the Presidential Election.

Councillors voted by 12 to 10 in favour of a proposal to back the independent candidate.

Mr Gallagher's candidacy was supported by Fianna Fáil and Independent members of the Council. 

Only one of those seeking a nomination attended a special meeting of the local authority in Castlebar this morning and that was Sarah Louise Mulligan.

Mr Gallagher was not present for the vote. 

A number of prospective candidates seeking endorsements from local authorities to contest the Presidential Election next month will appear before council meetings today. 

Mayo County Council is encouraging householders across the county to avail of its free Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day this Saturday.

From 9am to 1pm on Saturday, certain hazardous wastes found around the home can be disposed of free of charge at the Rathroeen Civic Amenity Centre on the Killala Road in Ballina.

Many everyday household items, fluids and containers are considered hazardous to both the environment and human health if not stored and disposed of correctly.

Even common household items such as cooking oil and detergents can be considered hazardous if not treated with proper care and consideration.

A full list of items accepted is available on www.mayococo.ie and also on www.facebook.com/greeningmayo.

As the festive season draws to a close this weekend, householders are urged to avail of recycling centres being made available across Co Mayo for Christmas trees. 

Mayo County Council has identified 12 drop-off points across the county, and is asking householders to ensure all decorations are removed from trees before recycling them. 

In Achill the location is besdie the Bottle Banks at Keel; in Ballina it's at the reception area at Rathroeen Landfill Site on the Killala Road, Ballina; in Ballinrobe at the Mayo County Council Area Office Depot, Kilmaine Road; in Balllyhaunis at the Bottle Banks in the Car Park; in Belmullet at the Civic Office Car Park, Church Road; in Castlebar  at the Municipal District Depot at Moneen and at Horkan's Garden Centre; in Claremorris at the Car Park at the Area Office on Kilcolman Road; in Louisburgh at the Car Park on Chapel Street; in Newport at the Recycling Centre at Derrinumera Landfill Site; in Swinford at the Mayo County Council Pound, Kilkelly, Swinford; in Westport at the Council Depot, on the Ballinrobe Road, Westport between 8am-4.30pm. 

Leprechauns are taking to social media to help promote road safety this St Patrick's weekend.

Cut-out selfie boards are being set up all around County Mayo to remind people not to risk drinking and driving.

The council's Road Safety Officer, Noel Gibbons told Midwest News today that he hopes the selfie boards will resonate with drivers.

Mayo county council is to proceed to contract on both the Bunadober, the Neale and Ballyhankeen, Hollymount minor flood mitigation works.

That has been confirmed this morning by local Fine Gael councillor Patsy O’Brien.

It is expected that both schemes will be completed before the end of the year 

Councillor O’Brien says he welcomes this development as important works are required in both locations.

Mayo County Council’s Senior Management Team and Severe Weather Group met this morning and have decided that Mayo County Council will close its offices, including the Libraries and Civic Amenities from 2pm this afternoon until Monday next at 9am.

Essential services from our Winter Maintenance crews will remain in place in addition to any staff supporting the local authority’s response to this severe weather event.

There are emergency contact numbers for all areas of the Local Authority.

In Ballina, it’s 096-76159; in Ballinrobe it’s 087-9940183; in Belmullet 087-6579348; in Castlebar 094-9034706; in Claremorris 086-0450200; in Westport South 087-6474150; Westport (Newport and North) 087-6540206 and Swinford links Ballina out of hours.

Head of Communications at Mayo County Council, Martina Hughes has issued an update following a local crisis management team meeting earlier today. 

Following snow overnight in much of the county, Mayo County Council gritting teams have been out since early morning dealing with main roads and priority routes across the County. 

While main routes are treated they are encouraging the public to exercise caution on secondary routes that are not gritted. 

Mayo County Council is monitoring weather conditions in the North Mayo area where significant snow fall overnight has left many sideroads in a challenging condition.  

Again the message for the public in that particular area is to exercise caution. 

The emergency contact numbers for specific area offices are listed on the Mayo County Council website.   Further updates from Mayo County Council will be posted across our social media channels.

Storm Deirdre will bring an orange wind warning for the country from 3 o'clock this afternoon.

A Status Yellow wind warning is already in place for Dublin, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Meath, Donegal, Cork and Waterford while a Status Yellow rainfall warning is also in effect until midnight tonight.

Severe gusts could reach 130 kilometres per hour by late afternoon, while heavy rain of up to 50 millimetres is expected to fall.

Mayo County Council has issued a Level 2 alert for wind and rain from 3.00 this afternoon until midnight.

In a statement to Midwest News this morning a spokesperson for Mayo County Council says they are continuously monitoring weather conditions and road crews and Fire Service personnel will be deployed to respond to emergency situations around the county should they arise.

Mayo County Council urge the public to be vigilant during the duration of the warning  It is important that people within the affected area of a weather warnings are prepared appropriately for anticipated conditions.

There is a possibility that weather warnings can be extended or deteriorated conditions last longer than anticipated. Once the weather warning has passed, please remain vigilant and exercise caution as debris and fallen trees may be on any routes.

Mayo County Council will provide updated information on their social media channels where appropriate.

Mayo County Council was last night named Council of the Year at the 2018 LAMA Awards in Croke Park.

The accolade recognises the efforts of Mayo County Council working with community to deliver projects and initiatives across the county.

Two projects also went on to win the outright national awards in their categories – Westport 250 and the ‘It’s for Girls’ initiative by Mayo Sports Partnership.

The national awards recognise and celebrate community and Councils working together. They provide a great opportunity to highlight the work done within our communities between Local Authorities and Communities in bringing novel and progressive projects to fruition.

Head of Communications at Mayo County Council, Martina Hughes confirmed this morning that Mayo County Council were delighted to be shortlisted as finalists for 7 projects in a number of categories this year.

Finalist Nominations for Mayo Included 

Wild Mayo - Promotional Campaign Best Tourism Initiative

Westport 250 - The Arts & Culture (including Festivals) Category

Crossmolina St Patrick’s night festival - The Arts & Culture (including Festivals) Category

It’s for Girls Campaign Health & Wellbeing Category

Crossmolina St Patricks Night Festival - Community Volunteer of the Year

Mayo Community Futures - Best Community based initiative

School Wardens ‘Lollicops’ (Kildare & Mayo) Best Community based initiative

Mayo County Council -  Council of the Year

Abandoned vehicles parked on council property in local authority estates, windows in homes and cars being broken, and general anti social behavior is not acceptable and need to be immediately dealt with my Mayo county council. That’s the view of the Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District Michael Kilcoyne.

The matter was discussed at the monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District earlier this week.

Michael Kilcoyne said the anti social behavior is not confined to local authority estates, but he argued that where Mayo County Council is the landlord / owner of a housing estate it must act to stamp out such behavior.

He says the conditions and standards of estates are deteriorating in some cases, and the local authority is not taking tenants to task he says for unacceptable behavior.

Fianna Fail Councillor Al McDonnell said he took exception to the Cathaoirleach , Michael Kilcoyne, in any way blaming Mayo County Council for any anti social behavior by its tenants. He said it is up to every individual to take responsibility for their own actions and he said if criminal damage is caused or anti social behaviour is spilling on to the streets of estates than the Gardai should be called.

Mayo County Council has been nominated in four categories of the Excellence in Local Government Awards 2018.

The Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards are held annually, in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government.

21 local authorities have been shortlisted for the Excellence in Local Govt awards, which will be presented in 16 different categories.

In the Health & Wellbring category, Mayo Co Co has been shortlisted for its initiative "Its for Girls" - which is the Mayo Sports Partnership's secondary schools mini-marathon challenge.

In the Supporting Tourism section, Mayo Co Co has been nominated for the Wild Mayo Tourism Brand Development & Marketing campaign.

The Mayo Arts section of the council has been nominated in the Sustaining the Arts category for its project Hearth - Art for Older People at Home,

and in the Festival of the Year category, Mayo Co Council's Communications Department has been shortlisted for Mayo Day which took place on 5th May.

The Made of Mayo event at Ballinrobe Racecourse attracted some 6,000 people

Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland says the range and ambition of the projects shortlisted this year exemplifies the vital work carried out by local authorities across the country in making their communities a better place to live, work and play.

The Excellence in Local Government Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony in Dublin on 22nd November, and on the night, one local authority will be presented with the overall award and named Local Authority of the Year 2018.

Mayo County Council was delighted to present the Grand Marshal of the New York City St Patrick’s Day parade, Brian O’Dwyer, with an iconic Foxford Woollen Mills Michael Collins Rug at a function in New York on Friday March 15^th.

Brian O’Dwyer became the third member of his family to lead the St Patrick’s Day parade in New York, following in the footsteps of his father, City Council President Paul O’Dwyer, who led the parade in 1974, and his uncle William O’Dwyer, the 100th Mayor of New York City, who was Grand Marshal in 1938.

Mr O’Dwyer’s father and uncle were natives of Bohola, Co. Mayo and the Attorney & Immigration Activist has retained his strong Mayo ties over the years.

In early 1922, Foxford Woollen Mills presented a specially commissioned Travel Blanket to General Michael Collins to mark his appointment to Commander-in-Chief of the newly established Irish Army. The rug was in his armoured car at the ambush at Béal Na Bláth in August 1922 and was used to wrap the body for transportation to Cork. It was recovered at Shanakiel Hospital by Nurse Nora O'Donaghue and later donated to the National Museum.

Foxford Woollen Mills have reproduced the blanket in conjunction with the Michael Collins House, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, and to mark the occasion of leading the New York parade, Mayo County Council presented Brian O’Dwyer with the commemorative rug.

Mayo County Council has published a draft policy on roadside memorials erected in close proximity to locations where fatal collisions have occurred.

The proposed policy will be put before the elected members of Mayo County Council for their consideration and adoption.

Tom Gilligan, Director of Services, told a meeting of the Roads and Transportation Special Policy Committee (SPC) yesterday that the proposed policy, in general, will not affect existing memorials erected by members of the public.

However, Mr. Gilligan added, should an existing memorial become damaged or in need of replacement, the replacement memorial must comply with the policy. Members of the family of 21-year-old Joe Deacy, who died in August 2017 after being found unconscious at Gortnasillagh, Swinford, were present as observers at yesterday’s SPC meeting.

The family group included Joe Deacy’s father, Adrian. The Deacys have previously expressed disappointment over the council’s actions in removing two roadside memorials erected to their loved one and say they were given no notice they were to be dismantled.

Mr. Gilligan expressed his deepest sympathy on behalf of management of the council with the Deacy family on their tragic loss.

He emphasised that Mayo County Council recognises and respects the wish of the bereaved to mark roadside deaths by way of erecting a roadside memorial but added that the council is also charged with the duty of keeping the public highway safe for all road users.

In relation to the Joe Deacy memorials, Mr. Gilligan said, said there had been a number of complaints from members of the public that the memorials were “a visual distraction” and a hazard to road users.

Mr. Gilligan said it must be recognised that all roadside memorials have the potential to become a road user hazard and, accordingly, a site-specific risk assessment will be required to be carried out at all proposed locations.

The draft policy debars the erection of large permanent physical structures (such as monuments and shrines) along a carriageway and shall be removed on safety grounds.

Following yesterday’s SPC session a private meeting, which was facilitated by Councillor Brendan Mulroy, Cathaoirleach of the Roads and Transportation SPC, took place between the Deacy family representatives and members of the county council executive.

Mayo County Council has confirmed that agreement has been reached on the purchase of Victoria House, Ballina.

Contracts and paperwork will be completed over the coming weeks and subject to all relevant requirements, construction of the Mary Robinson Centre will commence in November 2019.

Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Brendan Mulroy welcomed today’s news as “A great step forward for what is a major project for County Mayo. The significant community support will be key to the success of this project”

The Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes outlined “This marks a significant development in the progress of the Centre, a project which is of significant importance for Ireland in general and for County Mayo in particular. We hope it will provide a national model for honoring and building on the contribution of significant civic figures in the Country”

Mayo County Council thanked Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for the significant contribution of €2m towards the costs and for her Departments continued support on the project.

As Father's Day approaches this Sunday, Mayo County Council's Road Safety Office is asking people to consider buying the father a practical gift reminding him to stay safe on the roads.

Instead of the usual gifts of socks or CDs, they're urging people to consider buying their Dad a gift such as advanced driving lessons, a bicycle helmet, high-visibility clothing, a car safety kit or a voucher towards the purchase of a car service.

The Mayo Road Safety Office is also urging fathers to exercise care and caution towards other road users at all times, and - as a parent - to think about the example you're setting your children when you sit behind the wheel.

Mayo County Council’s Climate Action Department this week launched their Public Consultation Process for its draft Climate Adaptation Strategy – Climate Ready Mayo.

The draft policy was launched in Bridge Street, Castlebar last Wednesday by Director of Services John Condon and Climate Action Officer Laura Dixon.

Speaking at the event John Condon spoke of the importance of Mayo County Council taking action on Climate Change.

The Draft Climate Adaptation Strategy sets out how Mayo County Council will lead the journey to a Climate Ready Mayo and work to reduce our exposure to climate risks and capture new opportunities.

The Mayo County Council Draft Climate Adaption Strategy, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Report and Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening Report are available for inspection during normal office opening hours at the Municipal offices in Swinford, Ballina, Westport, Ballinrobe and Belmullet, at Aras an Chontae in Castlebar and all Mayo County Council Libraries until Wednesday, July 3, between the hours of 9:30am to 4.30 pm.

It can also be read online at www.mayococo.ie where members of the public can also submit their ideas before the closing date on July 3.

A number of information evenings will also be taking place across the county where members of the public can ask questions and give their observations.

These information sessions take place in Cúram, Dalton St, Claremorris and the Ballina Family Resource Centre on Thursday, June 6. On Tuesday, June 11, in Aras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet. The Regional Training Centre, The Mall, Castlebar on Wednesday, June 12 and Westport Town Hall on Thursday, June 13. All information sessions take place between 7 – 8pm.