Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has welcomed indications from the Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture Tom Moran that the Agri-Environment Options Scheme may be reopened this year.

Ballina Fianna Fáil Comhairle Cheantar has strongly condemned the recent decision by Minister for Agriculture, Food and The Marine Simon Coveney, to scrap the Agri Environmental Options Scheme (AEOS) for 2012. Fianna Fail  members, including members of the farming community, pointed out that hundreds of farmers across North Mayo, who have recently come off REPS 3 and made plans based on the reasonable assumption that they could join AEOS this year, have now been "have now been left high and dry".

The Mayor of Ballina Peter Clarke has given his support to the Gorta commemorative walk, which is due to take place in Ballina on Monday, 7th May. The walk is to coincide with the National Famine Commemoration events, which remembers all those who died during An Gorta Mór. He will be joined on the walk by Dara Calleary TD. A big turnout is expected for the occasion.

Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has said households in Co Mayo and across the country should be given the option of getting approved water meters installed themselves, instead of paying the exorbitant fee of €800 over 20 years. Deputy Calleary as also called on Minister Hogan to clarify if households in Co Mayo that already have water meters fitted will also be subject to the €40 annual charge. 

Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has demanded an explanation from the Education Minister Ruairí Quinn as to why disadvantaged schools in Mayo were left out of a review of DEIS cuts this year. These include 2 schools in North Mayo, Scoil Náisúnta Eachleime and Scoil Náisúnta Ros Dumhnach. The Ballina-based TD said it was incredibly unfair that children in deprived communities across rural Ireland are still being targeted by Minister Quinn in this way.

Mayo County Council is facing punishment from the Government in the form of cuts to services over non-payment of the household charge, according to local Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary.  This is the latest attempt by the Government to shift blame for their failure on the household charge fiasco, the Ballina-based TD has said in a hard-hitting statement.

A new Comhairle Cheantar for the Ballina Area, covering Ballina, Bonniconlon and Knockmore was convened in The Merry Monk last week.

It has been confirmed that at least six schools in Mayo will lose a teacher in September, Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has said. According to new figures published in the Irish Independent, Keenagh National School in Ballina, Scoil Naomh An Chorrain in Achill, Scoil Naomh Mainistir Mhuigheo in Claremorris and Partry National School in Claremorris will lose at least one teacher in September, the Ballina based TD said today.

Confirmation that Knockmore Post Office is to close at the end of April has been described as ‘deeply concerning’ by local Fianna Fáil T.D. Dara Calleary.

Young Mayo Barrister Lisa Chambers from Castlebar has been elected as Vice President of Fianna Fáil.  The 25-year-old from Castlebar, who was a Fianna Fáil candidate in Mayo in the last general election, was elected by delegates at the party’s Ard Fheis in the RDS in Dublin at the weekend.