Demand for explanation over west neglect in ministerial appointments

MAYO'S Aontú representative, Paul Lawless, has expressed outrage that no senior minister has been appointed anywhere in Connaught.

Paul Lawless said he was 'stunned' to discover at the announcement of Micheál Martin's new cabinet that out of 15 senior ministries, not a single post was awarded to the west and or north-west as a whole.

He stated: “When the people went to the polls it was clear the voters wanted change. Although I wasn't content that a coalition represented the kind of change the people voted for I was curious what a new Taoiseach would offer the region.

“However, when the new cabinet was announced I was shocked to discover that the Greystones area of Wicklow would have two ministers while the entire Atlantic coast from Donegal to Limerick was seen as a region where not even a single senior minister was needed.”

The Ballyhaunis teacher continued: “In Mayo over the years we have had many of our young people needing to leave their home county and move to Dublin or further afield in search of employment. Our farmers and publicans have endured greater challenges with little or no government help. We are underfunded in public transport and infrastructurally far behind where we need to be.

“We had a Taoiseach and ministers in the west at this time yet little was done to keep jobs and investment in Mayo and neighbouring counties. This does little to promote confidence in the change people in the west voted for in this regard.

“Micheál Martin's own constituency of Cork South Central now makes up one fifth of the cabinet ministries with three seats in cabinet from a four-seat constituency.

“This sends a very worrying message to the people of the west of Ireland during uncertain economic times that we continue to be off their radar.”

Add Lawless: “Do the government want businesses and young people to leave the west of Ireland altogether in the same manner they wish to rid our region of government ministers?

“An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Táinaiste Leo Varadkar need to explain why they neglected the north-west when handing out ministries to their respective party colleagues.”