Castlebar accusation

St Gerald’s College accused of holding Castlebar town to ransom

Anton McNulty

ST GERALD’S College in Castlebar was accused of holding the town to ransom after it was claimed that they were looking for €6 million compensation from the Town Council to acquire land for the new relief road.
The accusation was made at last Thursday’s meeting of Castlebar Town Council when Mr Seamus Granahan, Castlebar Town Manager, was asked by Cllr Michael Kilcoyne for an update on the status of the new relief road between McDonald’s Roundabout and the Newport Road. He told the meeting that the design of the road was progressing but the tendering process was held up after a landowner was claiming millions of euro for land along the route.
It was revealed from the Council chamber that the landowner was St Gerald’s College, who were asking for €6 million for the land. Mr Granahan said the claim was unrealistic and the matter was going to arbitration unless it was resolved.
Mr Granahan explained that the money for the relief road was coming from the Town Council and while they were determined to go ahead with the project, this was a significant hiccup. He said if the matter went to arbitration it could take a number of months before it was resolved.
The revelation that the school was looking for €6 million was criticised by members of the Town Council, who said the school knew well that the Council could not afford that money. Cllr Kevin Guthrie said the relief road would improve safety outside St Gerald’s and they were holding the town to ransom.
“It is wrong of St Gerald’s to hold a gun to the head of the people of the town. They will benefit the most from the road because there will be parking for buses and it will be safer for the students. They know the town does not have that sort of money,” he said.
However, Mr Seán Burke, Principal of St Gerald’s College, told The Mayo News that he had not heard a figure of €6 million mentioned before and the valuers of the Town Council and the trustees of the school were to meet again to discuss a figure for the land. The trustees of the school are the De La Salle Brothers who are based in Dublin and no locals are on the board of trustees. He added that there was a compulsory purchase order on the land for the road and there was no reason why this matter should hold up the progress of the road, even if it went to arbitration.