Mayo Independents unite in solidarity ahead of General Election

THREE Mayo Independent councillors have shown solidarity with two of their colleagues running in the next General Election by backing them to win two seats.

General Election candidates Cllr Chris Maxwell of Independent Ireland and Cllr Patsy O'Brien held a pre-election meeting with three of their fellow Independent councillors – Michael Kilcoyne, Richard Finn and Harry Barrett - to discuss critical issues affecting families in the county.

The meeting was held on Wednesday evening in the Travellers Friend Hotel in Castlebar and according to the councillors was to solidify their support for independent candidates in the upcoming General Election.

The independent councillors reaffirmed their commitment to addressing these pressing issues as they support independent candidates in the general election.

The councillors argued that the real needs of Mayo families have not been spoken about in this pre-election period, saying that independent councillors are going to demand a lot more from the election than 'the government parties thinking that they can buy an election'.

Farming, health, housing and home care issues were among the topics raised at the meeting and they insisted that the goal is to ensure that the needs of families in Co Mayo are heard in Dáil Éireann at every opportunity.

General Election candidates, Cllr O'Brien, who is based in south Mayo, and Cllr Maxwell from Louisburgh both stressed the importance of farming to the county and greater support needed to be put in place.

Cllr O'Brien raised concerns regarding delays in payments under the ACRES Scheme, which have left many farmers in Mayo waiting for promised income support.

“These delays are causing significant frustration and financial strain for our farmers, who are being let down by difficult red-tape. They need their payments to sustain their livelihoods and invest in their farms,” he said.

Cllr Maxwell added: “Farmers are trying to balance their work with nature preservation, yet they are burdened with unclear guidelines and delays that make it even more difficult for those managing high-nature-value lands.”

Cllr Harry Barrett from Castlebar highlighted the urgent crisis in Home Care for the elderly, stressing that finding people to fill Home Help hours is becoming increasingly difficult due to high demand, low wages, and cuts to HSE budgets.

“Families are given hours with nobody available to fill them, and many elderly people are then receiving little to no support. This is leading to a heartbreaking situation where families are forced into impossible care decisions, and this simply cannot be tolerated,” he stated.

His Castlebar-based colleague, Cllr Michael Kilcoyne brought attention to the unacceptable wait times at Mayo University Hospital's A&E and the 84 nursing posts left unfilled in MUH.

“We have seen government promises to address the trolley crisis come and go, yet the situation is as bad as ever. Patients are waiting hours for care, and we need a clear plan to tackle this overcrowding and ensure timely treatment for everyone who needs it,” he said passionately.

Meanwhile, Cllr Richard Finn addressed the ongoing housing crisis in County Mayo, condemning the Government’s failure to provide any affordable housing in the last five years.

“Young people are under tremendous pressure as they attempt to get planning permission on family land amidst this housing crisis. Planning authorities must work with young couples to help them build their first homes, rather than holding them back. We need to give them a chance to build their futures in our county,” he argued.