Rossie revolt on cards over possible monksland takeover
Roscommon’s first citizen has vowed to lead a mass protest across Athlone’s town bridge over what he described as a concerted effort by the Department of Environment and An Post to move Monksland and other parts of South Roscommon into Westmeath.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Paddy Kilduff spoke to the Westmeath Independent after being contacted by a person in the Bealnamulla area - a member of the Taxation Institute - who failed to get a letter because he listed his address at Bealnamulla, Athlone Co Roscommon as opposed to Co Westmeath, as previously requested by An Post.
The postal service told the sender that the person was not known at that address and it was undeliverable because Westmeath was not included in the address.
“I will be calling in due course for a public meeting on the matter and I have been in touch with the Acting Chief Executive Majella Hunt and the new CEO Eugene Cummins in relation to preparing the submission,” Cllr Kilduff said, of the county’s defence of their borders and strong resistance to Monksland and Bealnamulla moving into Westmeath.
Back in June, Minister Alan Kelly put the cat amongst the pigeons politically when he announced a surprise review of the Athlone boundary.
“The main rationale for boundary alteration is to bring the administrative jurisdictions into line with the current settlement and development position and the reviews I have announced are clearly warranted given the significant overspill of population in each of these cases into another county”, the Minister maintained at that time.
“I believe we have to make a statement. If Monksland is in Roscommon not Westmeath, we have to make sure it does not move,” said Cllr Kilduff, also criticising Eircode which continues to insist parts of Roscommon are in Westmeath.
Cllr Kilduff claimed An Post has not followed through with assurances earlier this summer that any mail with Athlone, Co Roscommon addresses would be delivered as normal.
They had previously said that if Westmeath was not added to the South Roscommon addresses that they couldn’t guarantee next day delivery, however, they subsequently rowed back on that amid fury in many quarters.
Cllr Kilduff fumed last Monday: “I believe Eircode and An Post all have an agenda taking in charge and taking over parts of South Roscommon...I will be calling for a protest march across the bridge to Athlone’s Civic Centre to deliver our submission (to retain Monksland and Bealnamulla) to Athlone councillors.
“Roscommon will be wiped out if we lose Monksland. I’m calling on people in the Athlone area of Roscommon to continue to put down their address the way it always has been. I’m not cooperating on this. This calls for a bit of disobedience and non-compliance and that’s exactly what I’m calling for,” concluded the Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, who is based in Glanduff, close to Lecarrow.