Ballina councillor bemoans lack of night classes

Ballina councillor bemoans lack of night classes


Anton McNulty
antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie

A BALLINA councillor has bemoaned the lack of night classes available in Ballina compared to the amount of classes available in Castlebar and Westport.
The issue was raised by Independent councillor Mary Kelly at last week’s meeting of Mayo VEC when a list of courses in the various VEC schools around Mayo were distributed. Cllr Kelly commented that the unemployment rate in Ballina was one of the highest in Mayo and could not understand why there were no nightclasses available in Moyne College.
“There is nothing available for night classes in Ballina while there are 26 in Westport and one is cake decorating. That is a big thing and don’t tell me they cannot run anything in Ballina. For the last three or four years I have commented on this and I’d like to see some feedback as to why [they are] not offered in Ballina,” she asked.
Cllr Kelly was supported by fellow Ballina councillor Johnnie O’Malley who said there was a big need for courses while Cllr Eddie Staunton said it was not good enough that Westport and Castlebar offered courses and Ballina did not.
This led to Westport based councillor Christy Hyland to quip, “It is not the best place in Ireland to live for nothing, we have everything there.”
Dr Katie Sweeney, CEO of Mayo VEC said the courses had to be self financing and there may not be the uptake to put them on.

HAVE YOUR SAY email antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie with your comments