Council should take over electricity cost of community CCTV
There’s not a month goes by where the various issues with CCTV don’t raise their head in the Laois County Council chambers.
On the most recent occasion at the May monthly meeting, Durrow-based independent councillor Ollie Clooney had a motion calling for Laois County Council to take over “the payment of all local CCTV electricity payment costs”.
In a well-received speech, Cllr Clooney said that cost of installing the cameras has been entirely met by the communities behind the schemes.
“CCTV is not the solution to solving all crimes but it is a huge deterrant and a huge help to Gardai,” he said.
“The cost to the council wouldn’t be huge … I’m not going anywhere on this. The Data Controller is dragging their feet and it’s disgraceful how (communities are) being treated. “Our fight is only started.”
Cllr Clooney was supported by Cathaoirleach Conor Bergin, who praised the Dunmore scheme in Laois that Cllr Clooney was involved in as the “first CCTV scheme in Laois”. “You had to start from nothing and pull it up by the bootstraps,” said Cllr Bergin.
“I know what it takes to set these up and then keep it going,” added Cllr James Kelly. “If the electricity bills could be taken out of it by the council then it would be a huge help.”
Portlaoise councillors come together to seek footpath fund
It’s not often that all the councillors of a specific area will come together and agree on one topic.
But the condition of some of the footpaths in the Portlaoise area saw the seven elected representatives put their name to a motion to Laois County Council calling for the introduction of a “multi annual Footpath Restoration Programme, similar to the multi annual Road Restoration Programme”.
“Such a programme is required to enable thorough and sustainable investment programme in footpaths, acknowledging the extent of the footpath network throughout the state.”
The motion was put forward by Cllrs Willie Aird, Thomasina Connell, Barry Walsh, Caroline Dwane-Stanley, Noel Tuohy, John Joe Fennelly and Catherine Fitzgerald.
“We need an annual funding stream for footpath repairs,” said Cllr Thomasina Connell, who is chair of the Portlaoise Municipal District.
“Some estates haven’t been touched in 40+ years.”
Self-employed discriminated against on Cycle to Work scheme
Laois county councillor Barry Walsh has said that the self-employed are being treated very unfairly under the Cycle to Work scheme.
Under the scheme an employee can purchase a new bike and then repay the cost via deductions from their gross salary.
“Yet again the self-employed are excluded from a welfare scheme,” said Cllr Walsh, himself a self-employed Quantity Surveyor.
“It seems to me that in this country the self-employed are being discriminated when we all know the role they play in supporting businesses and jobs and households.
“If we are trying to encourage cycling, why are we alienating 15% of the workforce. I am aware that the current scheme is is employee based and that the employer deducts amounts at source.
“In my view it wouldn’t take much to replicate this in the form of a tax credit to the self employed.
“It seems to be a bit disingenuous that on one hand we provide grants for EVs but no tax incentives for bicycles? There needs to be consistency on this issue.”
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