There is growing concern that a tragedy is waiting to happen as several bridges around County Laois continue to go unrepaired.
That is the view of Fianna Fáil County Councillor Seamus McDonald, who raised his concerns at the September meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory-Mountmellick Municipal District this week.
The matter arose when Cllr McDonald asked Laois County Council to provide an update on progress on a bridge over the River Barrow.
Mr James Dowling Senior Executive Engineer of the Council’s Roads Department responded by saying:
“Laois County Council Area Office has finalised the design and are awaiting funding prior to tendering this project.”
Cllr McDonald was unimpressed with the answer, saying the bridge at Rearyvalley “has been going on for the last ten to 15 years.”
The Fianna Fáil councillor said bridge safety is a major concern right across Laois.
“Cracks are getting bigger under bridges and residents are becoming frightened,” he said.
Cllr McDonald also called on the County Council to make contact with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) “to make safe the junction on the N80 at Moneyquid, Killeigh.”
He described the junction as “a seriously dangerous area” where one man sadly lost his life in recent years.
In response, Mr Dowling said the Council’s Road Design Department “have previously raised the Moneyquid issue with TII and will do so again at the next road safety meeting.”
This led another Fianna Fáil councillor, Paddy Bracken to ask: “how long does it take the TII to make a decision?”
Cllr McDonald concluded his motions by calling for traffic calming measures to be put in place at the Deadmans Inn, Ballyfin.
Mr Dowling again responded, saying Municipal District staff will meet with the councillor on site to possible measures.
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