West Mayo councillor calls on Erris counterparts to 'put their hand in their pocket'

A Westport councillor has called on his Belmullet counterparts to put their hand in their pocket and raise funds if they want to have an indoor swimming pool.

Belmullet has been left without an indoor swimming pool since 2019 when the pool at the Broadhaven Bay Hotel closed in 2019 due to financial issues leaving some people having to drive up to 70km to avail of one.

The need for a new pool was emphasised last year in a public meeting held in Belmullet and since then local councillors have been calling for Mayo County Council to assist in developing one.

That call was reiterated at the monthly meeting of the Belmullet/Westport Municipal District by councillors Seán Carey and Gerry Coyle.

However, the Cathaoirleach of the municipal district, Cllr Peter Flynn asked if the councillors should start contributing their GMA allocation towards the current pool to keep it open.

“What you have in Belmullet is community benefits from the windfarms and Corrib Gas which we don't get in other parts of the county. We [Westport councillors] put €40,000 of our GMA into the Westport Town Hall every year because we see it as a community facility. It is something to consider that maybe the GMA pot is something to contribute towards the electricity bill of the swimming pool which could keep the door open. I am only making a suggestion,” he told the meeting, adding that maybe they should 'put your hand in your pocket'.

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The Fine Gael councillor also pointed out that Belmullet has the only tidal pool in Connacht which is something Westport is 'crying out for' and it is not all 'doom and gloom'.

His comments were not met with approval from the Belmullet councillors who pointed out that Westport has a number of swimming pools and it is not fair that school children in Erris do not have access to any.

“We need a facility where children can go for lessons and be supervised and not have to travel 40 and 50 miles to go there,” said Cllr Carey.

“For children going to school their day is gone by having to do that and schools are not taking it up because of the distance and cost and loss of a day for their school.

“There are a number of community groups in this area not funded by the council and we have to give GMA in order to keep them going. No doubt if we had the opportunity to provide an indoor swimming pool we would not be found wanting with our GMA either but we don't have that option. We want to be on a level track.”

Cllr Coyle also said that €7 million in rates from the windfarms and Corrib Gas goes from Erris to Mayo County Council and it does not return to the region in funding.

Cllr Flynn responded by saying the swimming pool in the Westport Leisure Centre is a community pool funded by the local community and has nothing to do with Mayo County Council. He also pointed out that the new athletics track in Westport was funded by the community.

“Sometimes it has to be the community who drives it rather than the council and I am giving you an example. You might not like it but that's what happened. We had a number of people who took up the mantle and drove it on and got sports capital funding and GMA and the business community and they did it.

“It can be done but it has to be driven by the community and that is ultimately what I am saying. The days of the council driving these are the things of the past,” he said.