Taoiseach raises Carra green flag

Taoiseach raises Carra NS green flag


Anna-Marie Flynn

AN Taoiseach Brian Cowen paid a warm tribute to what he called the ‘inspirational children’ of Carra National  School as the school’s first green flag was raised last Friday.
The Taoiseach paid a formal visit to the school to celebrate the achievement and to kick start his day-long list of engagements scheduled for Ballina.
“In terms of the environment, it is very much a case of the young educating us. We come from a disposable age but these children are educating us in a greener, more sustainable way of life. A lot of the changes are been recognised more and more in the wider society and much of these changes have been good,” he said.
Speaking to the pupils of the Bonniconlon National School, he said: “It is my pleasure to be here today to celebrate your special day. It is great to be here, in rural Ireland, to congratulate you all and to see how many people are involved and have come to mark this day. The school is at the heart of the community and here today it certainly is the focus of the local people.”
Referring to the increased interest in green issues, An Taoiseach paid tribute to the Green Schools Programme. “The Green Schools is a wonderful scheme with 80 per cent of schools not engaged in it. This school alone has reduced its landfill waste by 50 per cent and together we are working for the environment. There was a sense that we were becoming a society that was been destroyed by dumping but we are moving away from that. That has also been reflected in the mainstreaming of green politics in our system,” he said.
Environmental Awareness Officer with Mayo County Council, Sharon Cameron, was also present to praise the children and noted the effort that was invested by pupils, teachers and parents alike in earning the green flag.  “We now have 90 per cent of schools in Mayo actively involved and it is fantastic to see schools and the wider communities embracing the Green Flag scheme. It is such an honour to mark this today with An Taoiseach,” she said.
A host of dignataries including Bishop Brendan Kelly, Minister of State Dara Calleary, Deputy John O’Mahony, Cllrs Seamus Weir, Michelle Mulherin and Jarlath Munnelly and officials from Mayo County Council were also present to witness the Taoiseach officially raise the green flag.

County Manager marks first engagement
NEWLY-appointed Mayo County Manager, Peter Hynes, was on hand to assist An Taoiseach Brian Cowen in hoisting Carra’s green flag -  in his first official engagement as Manager.
Warm tributes were paid to Mr Hynes by Environmental Awareness Officer, Sharon Cameron, and Bishop Brendan Kelly – a former teacher of the Manager. Bishop Kelly was generous in his praise, saying:  “I want to congratulate my former past pupil, Peter Hynes, who has now gone on to become County Manager. It gives me great joy to see him here today and makes me think that maybe my years teaching him in the 1970s were not all in vain!”
An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, also wished the new appointee well in his new post. “I am sure that he will provide wonderful leadership for the communities of this county and work hard to enhance the prospects of the communities he serves."