Councillor confident Charlestown decentralisation will go-ahead

Councillor confident Charlestown decentralisation will go ahead


Anton McNulty

CHARLESTOWN local councillor Gerry Murray is confident that the decentralisation of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht to Charlestown will go ahead despite the postponement of the project.
Last week, the decision was made to postpone the decentralisation of the Department to Charlestown and defer it pending an overall review of decentralisation in 2011. The move was described as a ‘betrayal’ by Fine Gael Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Spokesperson, Michael Ring, but Murray said he was still confident the project will go ahead.
Speaking on the issue, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltact Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív said he was adamant the project will go ahead and claimed it would now be under construction if it was not for the intervention of Kiltimagh, who requested the department be located in that town.
Sinn Féin councillor, Gerry Murray told The Mayo News that he has met with the Minister and is confident the project will not be scrapped and will go ahead. One hundred and forty civil servants are due to be relocated to Charlestown and currently, 90 civil servants are located in temporary offices in Tubbercurry. Cllr Murray said these buildings are not suitable and the plan for Charlestown was the only viable option.
“If Kiltimagh had not intervened the Minister has told us the construction would be underway and it would be open in September 2010. Kiltimagh approached the Department in 2007 but were told it was not suitable but it put a spanner in the works and people are disappointed in that. The Minister is adamant this will go ahead and I am confident it will.
“Obviously, this will be a great boost to any town because these are lifelong jobs and are not going to go away. If money is available in the 2011 budget, the Minister is confident the project will go ahead because Kiltimagh is unsuitable and Tubbercurry is totally unsuitable. Many of the civil servants have moved down here lock, stock and barrel and there is nowhere else to go,” he said.
However, Deputy Michael Ring described the postponement as a betrayal and another Fianna FΡil broken promise for Mayo.
“The Minister has now confirmed to me that seeking permanent accommodation in Charlestown has been deferred pending an overall review of decentralisation in 2011. Fianna FΡil is well known for its political stunts and it’s now clear that Mayo decentralisation was just another. The betrayal is complete.”
Deputy John O’Mahony vowed to keep decentralisation for Mayo on the top of the agenda and called on all public representatives to unite to ensure the department is delivered for Mayo. Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary expressed his disappointment at news of the delay of the decentralisation project in Charlestown.
“I want to assure the people of Charlestown and County Mayo that I am fully committed to delivering this project to East Mayo. I am and will continue to pursue Minister Ó Cuív and the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan to ensure that the decentralisation of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs does come to Charlestown as soon as possible,” he said.