CHAMBERS STRONGLY CRITICISE REGIONAL PLANNING GUIDELINES

A joint submission from three Midland Chambers of Commerce, including Athlone, has strongly criticised the draft Regional Planning Guidelines, recently published by the Midland Regional Authority. Athlone, Mullingar and Tullamore Chambers said the guidelines had dramatically shifted away from the objectives of the National Spatial Strategy, and would make only a negligible impact on development in the region in its present form.

Specifically, the three Chambers are highly critical of the decision by the MRA to base its Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) around the "five principal towns" of the Midlands Region.

This effectively adds Longford and Portlaoise to the linked gateway for major development identified by the National Spatial Strategy, which originally only included Athlone, Mullingar and Tullamore.

According to the Chambers "the Midlands Gateway has been diluted considerably in the draft RPGs."

They called on the MRA, which is made up Midlands County Councils, to change the emphasis in the guidelines, saying "failure to do so will just reinforce the perception in the business community of the powerlessness of local and regional government to grasp the nettle and actually drive the region's growth."

The Chambers say the gateway outlined in the NSS is not referred to in any of the key sections of the draft guidelines.

"All of the substantive sections are addressed in the context of the 5 principal towns, a concept that does not exist in the National Spatial Strategy, and has never arisen before."

The Chambers said they believed this was at variance with the guidelines given to planners by the Minister for the Environment.

They said that while Longford and Portlaoise had important contributions to make to development, the two towns were fundamentally outside the gateway, and were never intended to be primary drivers in the Midlands.

"With a span of 70 miles between the furthest points of the 5 towns, the concept of a gateway clustering development to act as a driver in the region is, in the opinion of the business community, not possible."

Problems in getting funding to implement some of the aims of the NSS, the Chambers said, would be exacerbated by adding more towns to the competition for scarce resources.

"Any central funding or other governmental support will be dissipated to such an extent as to make a negligible impact on the region," they said.

The Chambers also accused the MRA of ignoring social, heritage and cultural issues in the guidelines. In particular, they said issues such as poverty, illiteracy, racial integration and one off housing had not been dealt with.

HARNEY RULES OUT FF VOTING PACT IN EAST GALWAY

In a move which surprised some political observers, Tanaiste and Progressive Democrat leader Mary Harney TD has ruled out any voting pact between her party and Fianna Fail in the forthcoming local elections in East Galway.

Launching her party's local election campaign in Ballygar, Ms. Harney said the PDs would not seek voting transfers for Fianna Fail in East Galway.

The decision not to seek transfers for the party's national Government partners is reported to have annoyed some local members of Fianna Fail.

The two parties successfully pursued a voting transfer agreement in the last general election in 2002.

Ms. Harney told the gathering in Ballygar that she was confident the party could take two new seats in rural areas of Galway County Council, as well as retaining their membership on Tuam Town Council.

She also spoke of her long standing connections with the Ballygar area, pointing out that both her parents had come from nearby Ahascragh.

Ms. Harney also repeated pledges to continue to push for new industry in the East Galway area during the lifetime of the present Government.

A number of Fianna Fail supporters who attended the gathering in Ballygar said they were dismayed at the Tanaiste's announcement of a go it alone policy. Some claimed to have walked out of the meeting.

One senior Fianna Fail source said he believed the Tanaiste's announcement could lead to an increase in support for opposition parties in the local elections.

He suggested it might signal growing unrest at national level within the Coalition.

BUCCANEERS FACE MAY DAY SHOWDOWN IN CORK

High flying Buccaneers faced an All Ireland Rugby League semi final in Cork on Saturday, May 1st, in a bid to contest the League Final for the very first time.

This is the third time Buccs have reached the AIL's semi finals in the amalgamated club's short history. Buccaneers reached the semi final thanks to a 9-3 away victory in their final League fixture against Dungannon.

CONNAUGHTON CALLS FOR REOPENING OF ATHLONE VETERINARY LAB

Fine Gael East Galway Deputy Paul Connaughton has hit out at the Department of Agriculture over the delay in reopening the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Athlone.

Deputy Connaughton said the Lab, which catered for farmers in the West and Midlands, had been closed last year to allow for major upgrading and provision of new facilities.

He said the closure of the facilities had left farmers in the region without any post-mortem services for dead animals.

Deputy Connaughton said some local farmers now had to travel up to 100 miles to Sligo, to avail of post-mortem services there.

He added that the Minister for Agriculture had promised last year that the new veterinary lab in Athlone would be opened in the near future, but there was no sign of any such opening yet.

Deputy Connaughton called on the Minister to end the frustration for farmers and open the facility immediately.

COONEY CALLS ON GAA TO ALLOW RUGBY AND SOCCER AT CROKE PARK

At the monthly meeting of Athlone Town Council, Cllr Mark Cooney called on the GAA to allow rugby and soccer matches to be played at Croke Park, particularly during the period when Lansdowne Road was under reconstruction.

Cllr Cooney said that while Lansdowne was being reconstructed, there would be no suitable venue for major international soccer and rugby matches, other than Croke Park.

He said that while the GAA was entitled to make up its own mind on the issue, whatever historical reasons had existed for the ban were surely in the past by now.

"It [Croke Park] has the facilities, they can allow a Michael Jackson concert, so why not a rugby or soccer international?"

Cllr Cooney said there was also an economic issue. If Ireland had been forced to play their recent Triple Crown match in Cardiff because of the unavailability of any suitable venue in Ireland, all the Irish and Scottish supporters would have travelled to Cardiff, and the economy of Wales would have received a boost as a result.

Cllr Breffni Rowan agreed, saying he had stood in some of the finest stadiums in the world, including Yankee Stadium, the Millennium and Wembley, and "Croke Park is as good, if not better, than any. "It's so sad that such a magnificent edifice is not being shown to the rest of the world."

Cllr John Butler said he hoped the GAA could step above the controversy in the interests of sport.

He said Cllr Cooney's motion should be circulated to other Councils around the country.

Cllr Frankie Keena said the GAA could generate a phenomenal amount of revenue for itself by opening Croke Park to other sports.

However, Cllr Egbert Moran disagreed.

"I'm a member of Buccaneers. I know what people are saying, but the GAA is in control of its own destiny. I don't think we should put pressure on them."

Cllr Moran said that while he would love to see every sports ground opened up, things didn't work that way.

"Buccaneers opened up their training facilities, but we don't let soccer teams play there because we've our own matches. There's plenty of good pitches."

Cllr Austin Berry, revealing that he had played hurling at one time, said he didn't have much hope that the GAA would heed the calls.

One former President of the GAA had been quoted as saying he couldn't see the change happening, because of the views of the people who held "control."

Cllr Kieran Molloy said the current GAA President appeared to be in favour of opening Croke Park. He said it was hard to know what the grassroots feeling was, but he felt finance would dictate the issue.

"I believe the GAA will come under pressure to maintain Croke Park. This could be one avenue of revenue for them."

Mayor Kevin Moran said he also supported the calls. He had travelled to a number of stadiums in England, and it was "lovely to see a stadium full to capacity."

He said the numbers which would attend international matches at Croke Park would generate a tremendous atmosphere.

ST PATRICK'S DAY AWARD WINNERS CONGRATULATED

The St Patrick's Day Parade committee hosted a special Awards Ceremony in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel to acknowledge and congratulate participants in this year's parade for their time, effort and originality.

The Chairperson of the Parade Committee, Linda Jo Quinn of ACT, welcomed the crowd and acknowledged that there had been some doubt as to whether this year's parade would go ahead. However, she said, Mayor Kevin Boxer Moran had rallied the troops, and they had been able to get the parade off the ground in a short space of time.

She thanked the Mayor for his hard work, and also thanked all the Committee members for their support.

"As you will appreciate," she said, "a lot of hard work went into organising the parade and we learned a lot of new skills in the process."

Linda Jo Quinn praised the participants for their support and commitment to the St Patrick's Day Parade, and stressed that the event would not have been a success without the various groups who took part.

Over forty groups entertained the crowds for a little over an hour, and credit is due to the many voluntary, community groups leaders and parents who coordinated the youth of Athlone in putting on such a fine performance.

Plans are already under way for 2005, and the committee hope to expand the event to include more community entries and marching bands, not only from Ireland, but possibly Europe and the US.

Mayor Moran also thanked the many volunteers who made the parade possible.

"It is very easy for onlookers to praise or criticise an event, but without the assistance of volunteers on the ground, these events would never take place, and they are the true heroes of the day," he said.

He also called on all the Youth Group leaders of Athlone to participate in the 2005 parade.

Special thanks went to sponsors who contributed in some way or another to the parade, with special mention to Athlone Town Council, who gave 2000 euro, and Westmeath County Council, who gave 1000 euro.

Thanks were also extended to the outdoor staff of Athlone Town Council, Town Engineer Alan Kelly, Department of Defence, the Gardai, Civil Defence, ACT, the Adjudicators and the Stewards.

Prizes were presented to the overall 2002 winner and all the winners of prizes from the 2003 and 2004 parades.

Winners For St Patrick's Day Parade 2004:

Best Overall Entry - Tonnta, Best Community Entry - Grace Conway, Best Voluntary Entry - New Horizons, Best Commercial Entry - Tonnta, Best Youth Entry - Summerhill College, Award for Originality - Summerhill College, Best Effort Award - Lakeside Marina.

Winners of Treasure Hunt 2004: 1st The Keane family, 2nd The Trench family, 3rd The Devaney family.

Winners of Pre-Parade Race 2004: 1st Anthony Richard, 2nd Mark Murphy.

Winner of Pre-Parade Race 2004: 1st Catriona Dalton.

Best Window Display 2004: Elliotts Opticians.

Winners for the St Patrick's Day Parade 2003

Overall - Tonnta, Most Creative - Tonnta, Local Interest - Drum Foroige, Best Sports - Southern Gaels, Best Youth - The Girl Guides, Best Marching - The Majorettes, Best Commercial - Brendan Doyle, Best Community - After Schools, Best Voluntary - Youth Project, Best School Entry - Coosan N.S., Adjudicator's Award - After Schools.

Winner of St Patrick's Day Parade 2002: Overall - New Horizons.

Thanks were also extended to Fr. Patsy McDermott for coordinating the Treasdure Hunt and the volunteers who helped with the stewarding.

Thanks also went to Athlone Community Taksforce for the provision of administration and staff to coordinate the Parade.