Public lighting has become a major issue due to the surge in rural crime, with a new policy required to provide one-off lights according to Cllr Tom Mulhall.
“Rural crime is huge,” he told the Laois County Council budget meeting earlier this week.
He said there are a lot of people in Laois, particularly elderly people, living down laneways.
He hoped with an upturn in council finances would see them better able to provide one-off lighting at these locations.
“There is very little discretion where lights go,” Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said.
She said she had promised lights to one or two people before the last election, but these had not be provided.
“I do think councillors should have more say, especially when people are terrified in rural areas,” she said.
The public lighting situation was described as a “debacle” by Cllr Mary Sweeney.
She said changes in policy had been a “retrograde step” which prevented them from providing a single light at various locations.
Seeking clarity on the issue, Cllr Sweeney said she understood that lights will only provided in a location where three is required.
Valuable
“I think lighting is one of the most valuable things you can give a person in a rural area. People feel very vulnerable,” she said.
Director of Services Kieran Kehoe said they could go through the policy on public lighting again.
He said a policy from the relevant SPC will be brought before the council soon.
A meeting with Mr Kehoe, engineering staff and representatives from each political grouping in the house was suggested by Cllr Fitzgerald.
“We could go through this and see can we come up with an agreement,” she said.
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