Councillor kicks off turf war after O’Keeffe turns sod

A TURF war has broken out between Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe and a Labour councillor over the funding for a school.

Last month, Mr O’Keeffe turned the sod on the site of the proposed building for Gaelscoil na Cruaiche in Westport, Co Mayo, only for local town councillor Keith Martin to return the sod to the minister’s offices.

In an accompanying letter, Mr Martin told the minister: “Please keep this sod until you have secured a contract for the building and appointed a contractor for the work. Until such time, your sod-turning ceremony can only be considered an empty gesture.”

Mr Martin incorrectly spelt Mr O’Keeffe’s name with just one “f” in the letter, and now the minister has fired back, issuing his own sarcastic missive which noted the misspelling.

“Dear Councillor Martin,” the letter begins, “please note the correct spelling of my name.”

The minister thanks the councillor for the sod, claiming it would remind him of an “an outstanding day in Mayo”.

“I would have hoped you would also have shared the joy that the current Minister for Education had provided funding for the school to commence construction in the latter part of 2009,” the letter adds.

Mr O’Keeffe’s reference to himself in the third person is notable for use of the word “current” – careful political phrasing aimed at ensuring that he, rather than his predecessor, gets the credit for providing the school funding.

Mr O’Keeffe closes the letter by telling Mr Martin: “Despite your mean-spirited reaction, I wish you well.”

It remains to be seen how Mr Martin will respond to being told sod off.