Latest news with #MichaelKilcoyne
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Council accused of breaching department rules with controversial sale of site
Mayo County Council insists that it complied with all legal requirements in relation to the controversial sale of a site in Westport following accusations that it breached department rules and the Public Spending Code. A protest took place outside the council's offices last week as elected members approved plans to sell land in the town centre to The Wyatt Hotel Unlimited for €670,000. The site was not advertised for sale, and only one valuation was obtained before the transaction was agreed. A motion to delay the sale pending a public consultation was defeated at last week's council meeting. However, a councillor has now called on the disposal of the site to be halted, claiming that the local authority breached both department rules and the Public Spending Code in its 'rush' to sell the property. Michael Kilcoyne said he was 'utterly shocked' that the local authority did not comply with legal requirements in respect of the proposed sale, and the deal should be paused pending a full inquiry. Under a 2016 circular, public authorities are required to place lands on the State Property Register before selling them. This allows other agencies to express interest in the properties for certain uses, such as housing. The Public Spending Code also requires public authorities to prepare a business case for the disposal of properties. Mr Kilcoyne claims that a short document circulated to some elected members last month fell far short of the requirements for a business case under the code. Asked whether the site in Westport had been placed on the State Property Register as required under the departmental circular, Mayo County Council said it was 'satisfied that the proposed disposal was conducted in accordance with relevant guidance'. Mr Kilcoyne said the sale of the site appeared to have been 'very rushed', adding: 'It didn't go to the market at all.' 'I was just amazed that it wasn't considered for housing, particularly when there are over 200 people in Mayo who are in emergency accommodation. 'I am utterly shocked that the council didn't comply with the legal requirements,' he said. Speaking at last week's meeting, Councillor Peter Flynn said comments by members of the public about 'corruption and shady deals' in relation to the sale were 'really off the mark'. Chief Executive Kevin Kelly asserted that there had been no obligation to advertise the land for sale, adding: 'There is nothing untoward in respect of this proposal or this transaction'. A spokesperson for Mayo County Council said the sale of the land represented 'a significant opportunity to revitalise the area, providing economic stimulation and increased visitor numbers to the locality'. They said the proposal would also ensure that public amenity space would be provided. A business case was circulated to elected members from the relevant municipal district last month, the spokesperson added. 'Following an independent valuation, agreement was reached on the sale of the subject lands for a total consideration of €670,000. In addition to the purchase price, the purchaser has committed a further €280,000 towards the co-development of the adjoining public amenity area, reflecting a collaborative approach to enhancing local infrastructure.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- Business
- Extra.ie
Ireland's groceries second most expensive in Europe
Irish food prices are the second most expensive in the Eurozone after Luxembourg, a new study shows. And when it comes to drink, there is no relief – the price of alcohol was almost double the EU27 average in 2024. The figures are revealed in a Central Statistics Office (CSO) study of 36 countries, comparing prices of groceries across the continent. The nations included the 27 EU member states and nine others. The figures are revealed in a Central Statistics Office (CSO) study of 36 countries, comparing prices of groceries across the continent. Pic: Shutterstock Romania was the least expensive of the EU countries, while Slovakia was the least expensive of the 20 Eurozone countries. Booze prices in Ireland are the second most expensive in both the Eurozone and EU27, at nearly double the average in the latter. Retailers blame higher food prices on taxes and duties, increased wages and the cost of delivering goods to Ireland. Retail Ireland spokesman Arnold Dillion said: 'Higher prices in Ireland reflect long-standing structural cost challenges in the economy, along with higher government taxes and duties on certain products. Retailers blame higher food prices on taxes and duties, increased wages and the cost of delivering goods to Ireland. Pic: Getty Images 'Irish retailers face a significantly higher cost base than many of our European neighbours, with labour among the most expensive in the EU, complex and costly logistics due to our island geography, and elevated commercial rents, energy costs, and insurance premiums. 'Where price increases have occurred, they've been driven primarily by upstream factors, including sharp rises in farm gate prices, surging global commodity costs, adverse weather affecting European harvests, and renewed energy price spikes last winter.' Although Irish wages are higher than the EU average, Michael Kilcoyne of the Consumers' Association of Ireland pointed out: 'There's a difference between what we earn and what we take home as taxes in this country are amongst the highest in Europe. 'We're also paying over the odds for accommodation, we're also paying over the odds for energy prices and so on,' he said. Pic: Shutterstock 'We're also paying over the odds for accommodation, we're also paying over the odds for energy prices and so on, and what's happening is a lot of people have no savings at all when the rainy day comes – none whatsoever.' He said 'they're living hand to mouth', adding: 'It's not just food, it's other areas as well. Food is only a small part, an important part, but it's all of the other things too – energy costs and accommodation costs in this country, it's way off. 'The cost of living now is higher than it was when they brought in the once-off assistance towards energy bills, which ran for two or three years in the Budget. They're talking about not bringing in anything this year, even though the cost of living is higher. That needs to be looked at again.' Alcohol was cheapest in Italy, where prices were 16% below the EU27 average. Pic: Shutterstock Alcohol was cheapest in Italy, where prices were 16% below the EU27 average. Within the European Union, Finland was the most expensive for alcohol. Ireland was the fifth most expensive of the 36 countries for alcohol and second in the European Union and Eurozone. For alcohol, the most expensive of the 36 was almost 3.5 times dearer than the least expensive. The price of alcohol in Ireland was 98% above the EU average. Ireland was the third most expensive Eurozone country for bread and cereals; ninth most expensive for meat; eighth most expensive for fish; eighth most expensive for milk, cheese, and eggs; 12th most expensive for oils and fats and the sixth most expensive country for fruits, vegetables and potatoes. Ireland's bread and cereals prices were 17% above the EU27 average, and the lowest were in Romania at 44% below. The Irish prices for meat were level with the EU27 average. Pic: Getty Images Ireland's bread and cereals prices were 17% above the EU27 average, and the lowest were in Romania at 44% below. The Irish prices for meat were level with the EU27 average. The highest meat prices among the 20 Eurozone countries were in Luxembourg at 37% above average, while the lowest was Slovakia at 30% below the EU27 average. Fish prices here were 5% above the EU27 average, while for milk, cheese and eggs, Ireland was the eighth most expensive of the 20 Eurozone countries. CSO senior statistician Edel Flannery said: 'Looking at specific food categories, we can see that except for meat, prices for the various types of foods in Ireland were all higher than the EU27 average in 2024. 'Prices for breads and cereals were 17% higher than the EU27 average, while milk, cheese and eggs were 11% higher; fruits, vegetables and potatoes were 9% higher; oils and fats were 6% higher; and fish prices were 5% higher. 'For tobacco, Ireland was the most expensive of the 36 countries surveyed in 2024, with prices 159% higher than the EU27 average. Tobacco prices were lowest in Turkey with prices 74% below the average for the EU27.'
Irish Independent
26-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
RTE programme has put the ‘fear of God' in elderly people about nursing homes
Cllr Michael Kilcoyne from Castlebar raised the issue at this week's Regional Health Forum West Meeting, where he was informed by the HSE that the average person receiving home help in Mayo is seen for 6.3 hours a week. The data provided by the HSE showed that Mayo Home Support delivered 48,458 hours of assistance to 1,595 clients in April, with 224 people currently on the waiting list. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Cllr Kilcoyne said those kinds of hours are of "no use". "If that's the average, that's less than an hour per day. Many of these people are discharged from hospital on the basis that they are going to get home help. They have nobody at home, and in many cases, the person at home is as bad as themselves". He continued, "For the Minister of Health and the Department of Health to say we want to keep people at home, that's nonsense, that's fairyland stuff because they're not making any effort to do it even though it would save the taxpayer millions of euro." In the meeting, Cllr Kilcoyne expressed his disappointment at the number of people on the waiting list and asked how the forum plans to deal with it. The Regional Executive Officer for HSE West and North West Tony Canavan responded by saying, "We're currently just exceeding the service plan commitment in terms of home help. We are providing slightly more than we are funded for. The hours and the levels of service have increased year on year for the last number of years." Mr Canavan explained the data shows a "growing need" for home help services. He confirmed that they will be seeking additional funding in the future as he understands that, "for most people in those circumstances, they do want to remain home for as long as possible." Cllr Kilcoyne agreed that the HSE should absolutely get more money in the budget saying that "it's money well spent.' He agreed that people want to remain in their homes for as long as possible and avoid going into nursing homes, "particularly after the recent television programme, I'm not saying every place is like that, but the fear of God is in some of them." he said.
Irish Independent
24-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Over 500 people currently on waiting list to see a cardiologist at Mayo University Hospital
New data has revealed that 506 people are currently on a waiting list after being referred to MUH by their GP, additionally, 32 of these patients have been waiting for over 12 months. The issue was raised at the Regional Health Forum West meeting on Tuesday by Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, who is based in Castlebar. Speaking to the Irish Independent he highlighted just how serious this issue was, "Cardio is the heart, if something is wrong with the heart it needs urgent attention. If you have to wait that long to see a consultant then there is something drastically wrong with the system. 'They tell you that the first few hours are most precious if you have a heart attack. Yet they expect people to wait for over a year to see a consultant to have investigations. It means it is not being given the priority that it should be, "I just wonder how many of them are still alive if they are waiting for that long.' Integrated Health Area Manager for Galway and Roscommon Ann Cosgrove, assured the meeting that cardiology patients on the referral waiting list would be 'non-urgent' cases. She stated that interventional cardiology cases would not be done locally in MUH, they would be referred on to University Hospital Galway. Ms Cosgrove said in the meeting, "They've just had two cardiologists appointed to Mayo University Hospital in the last year. That [statistic] would be a backlog as there had been one clinician there before.' The advice given by Ms Cosgrove to any patient who might be concerned about their condition was to ask their GP to make further contact with the consultant, 'If somebody has concerns or if their condition has deteriorated in any way, your first port of call would be your GP,' she said. ADVERTISEMENT Data provided by Mary Warde, the Integrated Health Area Manager for Mayo, also revealed that a total of 4551 people are currently waiting to see a consultant at MUH. Cllr Kilcoyne said, "That's a huge number of people. It shows you how Mayo University Hospital has been under-resourced all of these years and continues to be the same way. "The hospital is full now, so is Galway in the West, and this is June. What's it going to be like in December.'
Irish Independent
02-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Death of an Irish institution? New Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll reveals how few go to the pub every week
While the local watering hole was once regarded as an 'Irish institution', the study found only 9pc of people said they go to the pub once a week, 7pc went every fortnight and 19pc said they went just once a month. The cost of alcohol in bars is believed to be one reason why many don't pull up a bar stool any more. Meanwhile, Gen Z – those 28 and under – are less likely to drink alcohol at all, with many prioritising hobbies, health and wellness. Michael Kilcoyne, chair of the Consumers' Association of Ireland, said the fact that the Irish pub was no longer popular, is 'worrying from a community and societal aspect'. 'Pubs down the country have been affected badly due to a lack of transport,' Mr Kilcoyne said. 'And in general, the price of alcohol in pubs is too high for a lot of people struggling with high rent and mortgages. 'Others are trying to save for a mortgage and many are living in their parents' box rooms, just unable to afford a night out at the pub. 'This means pub staff will lose their jobs and also impacts the coming together of people as a community in Ireland. 'The pub is where friends, family and colleagues always met and what have we got if we're not meeting up to socialise? A lack of community, isolation, loneliness and a lack of community spirit. 'That's really a very bad thing and it seems this Government has switched off to the reality of what people are going through in Ireland today. 'People just don't have the money to go to the pub to socialise or even go on holiday due to the cost of living and wages not being high enough to meet it.' The survey found 40pc of people can't afford to take a summer holiday this year while 55pc said they could and 5pc were unsure. Pub landlords contacted by the Irish Independent weren't available to talk or didn't wish to comment on the issue. But the CEO of the Vintner's Federation of Ireland, Pat Crotty, a former publican, told RTÉ: 'It's very difficult. The net position for the publican outside of an urban area is that he's dying slowly.' He added: 'Even for pubs relying on tourists, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has shown tourist numbers are down at a time when they should be up.' Mr Crotty said publicans are in a difficult situation with regards to legal and financial obligations, and very few can continue in the position they are in.
