Cllr Mary Kelly, who has come up with the idea, told the annual budget meeting of the Town Council Wednesday night that an app would help promote Ballina around the world.
Applications - or apps - as they are more commonly known are low-data programmes that run on smartphones, offering everything from local information to games.
The cost of developing the Ballina app would be between €5,000-€5,500 and could be downloaded to mobile phones, Cllr Kelly said.
The Independent councillor told the meeting that she had done extensive research into the technology and she was convinced an app would be an essential element of Ballina's marketing strategy in the years ahead as the digital world plays a bigger part in all our lives.
Cllr Kelly said the matter should be discussed by a sub-committee of the council which will be looking at ways of spending the authority's €60,000 marketing budget for the town over the coming 12 months.
Earlier, Town Manager, Paddy Mahon said the marketing budget would be used to promote Ballina both nationally and internationally and help attract more tourists to the town.
Ballina already has its own ground-breaking Mobile Phone Directory - http://ballina.tel- that is optimised for viewing on all mobile devices and does not require an app.
Fleadh Cheoil
Mayor of Ballina, Cllr Peter Clarke, Independent, echoed these sentiments, saying the Fleadh Cheoil had brought huge benefits to Ballina in the 1990s and he was now inviting the local Comhaltas branch to a forthcoming meeting of the authority to give a presentation on their plans to invite the Fleadh back to Ballina.
Cllr Clarke also said the Jackie Clarke Library was already bringing hundreds of visitors to the town with spin-off business for hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and local shops.
Cllr Clarke revealed that the museum would be officially opened in August or September.
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