By 
A lack of consultation with older people was one of the main concerns raised during ‘Your Council, Your Questions’ – a public engagement event held at the Grange Council Offices in Omagh.
Organised by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) in partnership with the South West Age Partnership (SWAP) as part of Positive Ageing Month, the event gave older residents from across the district a chance to raise issues directly with councillors and officials. Topics discussed included rural transport, access to services, health, heritage, and the development of local greenways.
A survey conducted at the start of the meeting found that more than four-fifths of attendees felt older people were not consulted enough when decisions affecting them were made. Many also said they did not feel listened to or adequately engaged with by the council.
UUP councillor John McClaughry said more needed to be done to connect with residents and suggested that similar forums should be held regularly.
“We’re here to represent people and do what’s best for them, but if we don’t know their opinions, how can we know what that is?” he said. “A structured event like today provides a brilliant forum for people to raise their issues.”
Sinn Féin councillor and council chairman Barry McElduff also praised the event, saying it was vital for councillors to engage with the public.
“I always enjoy hearing from people, and it’s important that everyone feels they are being listened to by their elected representatives,” he said.
One of the main issues raised was the lack of public transport across the district, with only half of respondents saying they were satisfied with current services.
One attendee said there were poor transport links between rural areas and major towns such as Omagh and Enniskillen, calling for more regular bus services.
“Public transport just isn’t an option for people in rural areas,” she said. “If you don’t have a car, I don’t know how you’d manage. I drive, but if I didn’t, I honestly don’t know how I’d get to the doctor.”
Cllr McElduff said councillors are in regular contact with Translink about improving local services.
“I will contact the management of Translink and express the concerns people have about the lack of rural services locally,” he said. “I’ve raised this before, but they always tell me that services need to be financially viable.”
Another attendee raised concerns about the lack of evening transport, noting that most buses leave Omagh Station before 6pm and that limited taxi services discourage people from going into town at night.
Over 90 per-cent of attendees said they felt they were not being consulted about the council’s move toward digital systems. Many believed older people had been overlooked when new online services were introduced.
Several attendees pointed to the online booking system for recycling centres as an example, saying it was poorly communicated before being implemented.
“I don’t feel like anybody was asked if this would be a good thing,” one person said. “What if someone can’t use an app or a phone? It just seems like older people weren’t even considered.”
John Boyle, director of community and wellbeing at FODC, said a consultation had been held and that no significant objections were raised at the time. He explained that the decision was based on health and safety concerns due to heavy use of smaller sites.
“It has become a health and safety issue for staff and the public,” he said. “I’ve seen huge queues myself, and something needed to be done to improve things.” Cllr McClaughry added that a telephone booking service would soon be introduced for anyone unable to book online.
Cllr McElduff clarified that fixing potholes and other road issues is the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure (DFI), not the council.
“People think the council can fix potholes, but all we can do is report them to DFI,” he said. “The council simply doesn’t have the authority to carry out road repairs.”
John Boyle advised residents to report road defects directly to DFI, whose contact details were included in information packs handed out at the event.
Cllr McLaughry added, “Even when we highlight issues, DFI has a limited budget, and it can take a long time before work is done. There’s a pothole in my own area that took four years to be fixed.”
One attendee, a member of a local walking and cycling club, called for more investment in greenways across the district.
“The Fermanagh and Omagh area could really do with a greenway,” he said. “They’re excellent for tourism and local people alike. Some of the greenways we’ve visited across Ireland are used by thousands.”
John Boyle agreed that greenways were an excellent community asset but said development is more difficult in Northern Ireland because former railway lands were sold off to private owners.
“In the Omagh area alone, around 150 landowners bought those sections,” he explained. “It’s a major challenge, but it would be wonderful to see more greenways developed.”
Another attendee urged the council to do more to preserve historic buildings, citing Crevenagh House and Lisnamallard House as examples.
Council officials said they were aware of both properties’ condition and were exploring funding options to support their restoration.