Castlebar public are 'fed-up' with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - Blackie

A FIANNA Fáil councillor has claimed that the electorate do not want to see politicians from his party or Fine Gael knocking on their doors before the local elections.

Castlebar-based councillor Blackie Gavin who has been a councillor since 1994 says that people are 'fed up' with the state of the country and the Government parties are taking the blame. Cllr Gavin made his comments at the monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District where he said the electorate were only interested in Independent candidates.

“People are getting fed up. I am getting it on the doorsteps and they don't want to see us coming, they want to see independent people coming. They told me 'Blackie if you were running as an Independent we would vote for you' but they don't want to see Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael coming. I have got that message loud and clear and they don't want to see us coming,” he said.

Cllr Gavin made his comments in frustration at what he believes is the lack of progress in getting jobs done in Castlebar citing the poor state of footpaths in some estates and the absence of them in other parts of the town.

“There is no pedestrian crossing from Ballymacrath on the Westport Road to the Westport Road roundabout and the amount of housing estates that are out there and young kids. There is no footpath for Manor Village to Ballymacrath and it is highly dangerous and these are young families. What is going on? We've been raising this since we got elected and nothing is done.” he asked.

The absence of a pedestrian crossing along the Westport Road was also raised by Cllr Donna Sheridan who said that it is time it was looked at again.

“There was a count done on Westport Road for a pedestrian crossing a number of years ago and we asked for something closer to Manor Village. We were told it would be looked after when the new road [N5] was opened and the old road was downgraded. That has happened and we need to look at pedestrian crossings and a footpath to the garden centre out to Shaws,” she said.

Cllr Sheridan also called for the pedestrian crossing at the roundabout from Aldi to Tesco to be moved as she feels the current location is too close to the roundabout and causes traffic congestion.