‘It’s just because it was me’

‘It’s just because it was me’


Outspoken Durcan believes he is on County Council blacklist

Castlebar
Edwin McGreal
edwinmcgreal@mayonews.ie

Independent Castlebar town councillor Frank Durcan believes he has been blacklisted by Mayo County Council. He contends that council officials ignore his requests for works but act on representations from others.
Cllr Durcan made the claim at last Thursday’s meeting of the Castlebar Electoral Area during a discussion on roads. He said he had made ‘numerous representations’ about ‘floods of water’ coming from the main Westport Road onto the avenue to a private house after recent road works. Despite his representations, he said, nothing had been done.
He stated that remedial works at the entrances to ‘every house’ in Sheeaune, Westport, had been completed after recent road works, while nothing had been done about the house in Castlebar. This, he said, was because it was he who made the representation.
“It’s just because it was me that brought it up that nothing was been done. The council officials have blacked me and for obvious reasons, which I’ll declare publicly again. It has been done for others, but when I make representations, it’s not being carried out.
“I had another man who came to me with his water bill and I asked in the council about getting a reduction but I was unsuccessful. He came back to me after and asked how he was able to get another councillor to get a two thirds reduction for him. I couldn’t do it.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that the house affected on the Westport Road hasn’t been done,” he added.
Responding, Mayo County Council Senior Engineer Patsy Bourke said that the road works on the Westport Road had been done on a contract and there were no more funds for it. He said the work at houses in Sheeaune in Westport had been completed as part of the works there. He said the council don’t have a budget they can allocate to the house on the Westport Road, adding that all the council can do is ‘to ask for a budget’.

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