South Mayo voters feel ‘abandoned’ - Galway councillor

Ciara Galvin

A Galway county councillor has said that south Mayo voters do not know prospective candidates on the upcoming election ballot paper.
Galway city based Independent councillor, Catherine Connolly (pictured), who is running in the Galway West constituency which now includes 7,500 votes in south Mayo, has said that while canvassing the areas of Kilmaine, Shrule and Ballinrobe, voters have said they do not know the candidates.
Cllr Connolly said that voters in these areas had aired their grievances with the boundary changes which has led to many voters now not being familiar with candidates, the majority of which are from Galway.
This is an issue previously expressed by Ballinrobe locals, including retired businessman Tony Walkin who has expressed fears about the town being ‘forgotten’ as a result of the constituency changes.
No candidate for the Galway West constituency actually lives in south Mayo, with Fine Gael’s John O’Mahony residing in Ballaghaderreen and Fianna FΡil’s Eamon Ó Cuiv close to the border in Corr na Mona.
Cllr Connolly referred to opinions expressed in a vox pop during a recent radio debate which appeared to show that voters in the area felt ‘abandoned and set adrift’.
“They are very real fears,” said Cllr Connolly who has been elected four times to Galway County Council in two different wards.
The Galway councillor said she had a range of experience on committees which cover both Mayo and Galway.
“It is vitally important that the people of south Mayo are reassured that they will have a strong independent voice representing them in DΡil Éireann if I am elected.”
She went on to say that she would use this political position to push for an ‘urgent strategic development plan for the area with emphasis on local jobs’.
She concluded: “I cannot accept the government mantra that the economy is thriving given the emigration rates and high unemployment in the area.”