Thank you to all our members, supporters, canvassers, my friends and family for all your support and assistance in this campaign. I am very pleased to have been re-elected for a 3rd term to Roscommon County Council.

Thank you, it is a huge honour

Tally figures below

Fianna Fail Councillor Orla Leyden has described the visit of the Minister for Health, James Reilly T.D. to turn the sod on the new Endoscopy unit at Roscommon County Hospital as a complete farce and insult to the people of Roscommon.

Cllr. Leyden said that what we urgently need is the re-instatement of our 24/7 state of the art Accident and Emergency Unit at Roscommon County Hospital not more empty pre-election promises by this Fine Gael led Government.

Cllr. Leyden said that she would boycott the official turning of the sod on the endoscopy unit and protest with the people outside the Hospital to send the message to government that what we need is the re-instatement of our 24/7 A&E Unit.

She described the turning of the sod on the Endoscopy unit as a meaningless gesture to try and appease the anger of the people of Roscommon prior to the Local and European Elections on the 23rd May.

The government needs to get real to the needs of the people of Roscommon – the same people they made binding commitments to before the 2011 general election and reinstate our 24/7 A&E unit. Cllr. Leyden concluded that everyone knows of people whose lives were saved because they had immediate access to an effective A&E unit at Roscommon County Hospital. The government has betrayed the people of Roscommon who are geographically remote from other units by closing our 24/ 7Accident and Emergency Unit and putting Roscommon lives at risks.



Cllr. Leyden is calling on Minister Reilly to reinstate the 24/7 Accident and Emergency Unit at Roscommon County Hospital.



End.

Professor Ciarán O Catháin, President of Athletics Ireland & Mr. Paddy McCaul, President of FAI officially opened a new flood lit　Astro Turf Pitch in Roscommon Town earlier this week. (Monday)
　
　
Professor Ciarán O Catháin, President of Athletics Ireland & Mr. Paddy McCaul, President of FAI jointly officially opened a　70 m x 40 m Flood lit Astro Turf Pitch in Lisnamult, Roscommon Town earlier this week. (Monday)　Blessing by Monsignor Charles Travers.
　
This flood lit astro turf pitch which accommodates 2 large 5 a side pitches was funded by Roscommon Leader Partnership and local fundraising.　( €129,000 from Roscommon Leader Partnership - 75% of the cost of project which is just over €172,000). Cllr. Leyden thanked Frank Dawson, County Manager Roscommon County Council & Kathleen Martin, Director of Service for entering into a 99 year lease agreement with the community group for additional lands to facilitate this project.
　
　
Cllr. Orla Leyden, chairperson of the Roscommon community sports park committee said that the opening of this new community facility is great news for Roscommon town and surrounding areas as up to now underage teams and teams of all ages have had to travel outside the town to access astro turf facilities in Athlone, Newbridge and elsewhere. 　Cllr Leyden thanked Lisnamult Residents Association for supporting this project , generously sharing their resources and working with Roscommon Community Sports Park Committee who represent various community groups in including athletics, soccer, disability sports including special Olympics, community games to make this Astro turf pitch happen. She also thanked Roscommon Town Youth Soccer for actively driving this project from the start.
　

She added that this is the first phase of an ambitious community sports park project in Roscommon Town, the next phases include additional changing room facilities and a much needed 400 metre athletics track.

Lovely to officially open the talented Laura Zitos exhibition in the Comfy Cafe this evening. Her work will be on display for the coming week. She "evokes reality"with her incredible photographs going back to 1975

CLLR ORLA LEYDEN CALLS ON IDA TO INVEST IN COUNTY ROSCOMMON

Cllr. Orla Leyden said that the IDA cannot keep ignoring the needs of County Roscommon. She said that the County is crying out for investment and job creation yet it is being ignored by the Fine Gael government and the IDA.

Most recent figures show that the IDA Ireland paid out grants of €89,326,201 in 2012 and yet County Roscommon received only €13,098. Meanwhile adjoining counties received funding of from €347,378 to €12,252,609 in 2012. Cllr. Orla Leyden asked how can County Roscommon recover economically if it is being starved of investment.

As the IDA plans its strategy for 2014, it is crucial that the Government now takes the need for regional fairness seriously and targets job creation in County Roscommon.

It’s proven that when the IDA focuses on investment in a certain area, that area benefits from job creation. The infrastructure network is excellent and with a highly educated potential workforce from Roscommon. In 2004 the IDA completed a €2 million upgrade to the Business & Technology Park on the Racecourse Road to bring the Park to Flagship Status within the IDA Property Portfolio and that there was no excuse that this park which has 7 HA (c. 17 acres) is not being used by government to bring foreign direct investment to Roscommon. It is a fantastic park that has been designed and landscaped to a high standard including a services infrastructure to suit both manufacturing and international services sectors. The county has all the ingredients for Foreign Direct Investment. The Government and IDA need to prioritise Roscommon for Foreign Direct investment

Cllr. Leyden concluded by saying that she is challenging the Fine Gael Government and the Government T.D. Frank Feighan to deliver employment to Roscommon and ensure IDA investment and job creation in the County. IDA job creation in Roscommon has to move beyond Monksland, the rest of the County is crying out for investment.

Cllr. Orla Leyden welcomes the commencement of work to address health and safety issues on the derelict site on Circluar Road, Roscommon Town.
 
 
Cllr. Orla Leyden welcomes the commencement of work to address health and safety issues on the derelict site on Circluar Road, Roscommon Town. Cllr. Orla Leyden who tabled a motion at the March Meeting of Roscommon County Council seeking immediate action at the site said that she was glad to see that the old hoarding is being removed and that the site is being secured. She said that she was also relieved that the dangerous large holes on the site have been filled in. The construction of new fencing will be completed by early next week. This derelict site was dangerous with loose hoarding, nails on the ground and large holes on site that posed a threat to children that could have easily accessed the site.
Cllr. Leyden said that she would like to see this whole site brought back to its original state as it offered potential for development in the town.
 
Cllr. Orla Leyden also thanked Roscommon County Council for ensuring that the unsightly blue hoarding on the site on the Galway Road was removed. The work carried out included the removal of Porta Cabins, dangerous materials and structures on site. This work greatly improves the approach to Roscommon Town, visual amenity of the area and safety of the site.