Enright’s plan for Westport

OUT AND ABOUT Peter Enright canvassing in Westport over the weekend, with, from left: Sadhbh Ní Chionnaith, Noel Kenny (second from right), Dr Caroline Fitzgerald, Nora McDonnell (Louisburgh) and Shirley Piggins. Pic: Conor McKeown

Enright’s plan for Westport

Neill O’Neill

GREEN Party candidate for Mayo in next week’s General Election Peter Enright has outlined his vision for the town of Westport. Focusing on creating a town where young families and young people can get the most out of life without being crippled by the cost of mortgages and everyday commuting, the GMIT student says that creating sustainable development is top of his agenda for Mayo towns and Westport in particular.
If elected he plans to implement safe walking and cycling routes into the town’s schools so that children and young people can get to where they need to go without relying on ‘mummy’s taxi’.
Basing this concept on a successful programme put in place by Fingal County Council, Enright plans to create a walk-to-school programme where children from the periphery of the town walk to school together on specific walking routes under the supervision of an adult. This route will have designated pick-up and drop-off points and a trolley on which the children can place their bags to save having to carry them. This, he contends, will cut out congestion and will simultaneously promote healthy living and enhance social skills.
The overall aim of this initiative is to connect housing and essential local amenities by a network of easily accessible and cheap public transport, or alternatively, by convenient and safe pathways.
Speaking on Saturday while on the campaign trail during the Fleadh Cheoil Mhaigh Eo in Westport, Enright also said that he would encourage the on-going development of affordable housing in the town.
“I would like to see the consolidation and expansion of social and affordable housing in towns like Westport so that families can enjoy the vibrancy of the town and indeed add to it further,” he said.  “On a weekend when the Mayo Fleadh is going on, it is more than evident that Westport is a unique town, not just in Mayo but in Ireland. I would like to ensure that more families and young people can enjoy town living by increasing the housing stock, and particularly the affordable housing stock.”