An Bord Pleanála has deferred making a decision on the Corrib gas project.
A decision on the planning permission granted by Mayo County Council to Shell for a gas refinery in north Mayo was due on September 21st. But a spokesman for the board acknowledged that the decision would be put back for some weeks.
It is believed the new decision date will now be October 7th.
Mayo villages hit landline service
Residents in the villages of Glenisland, Glenhest and Beltra near Castlebar in Co Mayo have criticised continuing disruption to their landline service.
Mr Thomas Earnor who moved to Glenisland from New York a year ago said yesterday: "It's an inconsistent service and it is very difficult to stay in contact with people by phone in this area."
Eircom spokesperson Ms Nuala Buttner said the villages were served by an inadequate network but that work would begin on upgrading it shortly.
Flying doctor service 'overdue'
The Government has been castigated over its failure to provide a "flying doctor" service for Ireland, despite recommendations in the feasibility study into an All-Ireland Helicopter Emergency Service published last April.
Independent TD, Dr Jerry Cowley, who has campaigned on the issue for more than a decade, said he knew of people with spinal injuries who had ended up paralysed for life due to the lack of a helicopter service.
"The case highlighted where a health board ambulance carrying a spinal injury patient from Galway to Dublin had to travel in the middle of the road at 30 m.p.h. to avoid potholes, highlights the scandalous situation which exists," said Dr Cowley.
Renewed call for Claregalway road
A renewed call has been made to bypass Claregalway through which more than 27,000 motorists pass every day. Progressive Democrats TD Mr Noel Grealish will raise the matter at a meeting with the Minister for Transport next Friday.
Mr Grealish said yesterday that the case for the long-awaited Claregalway bypass was stronger than ever. "The Minister and the NRA have got to realise that the traditional business carried out in Claregalway is being destroyed through their inactivity and their hiding behind promises of a new N17 motorway," he said.
Local government review under way
All funding options for local government would be examined to give local government more power and to continue the separation from national government, the Minister for Local Government said yesterday. International models of local government were being examined in a major review, Mr Cullen said, which would be ready in 2005.
"Everything is on the table. I am totally open-minded," Mr Cullen said shortly before his address to town and city councillors at the 400-delegate Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, at their 91st annual conference in Listowel, Co Kerry, yesterday.