No lights, no path for soccer going kids in busy Laois town

Children walking to soccer practice in a busy Laois town have no streetlights or even footpath for part of the route.

Abbeyleix, a previous national Tidy Towns Irish winner, needs the lights and path, says a local councillor.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly tabled a motion to the March meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking for two public lights on the Well Road, between the Main Street and Ballacolla road.

"This is one section at the bottom of Abbeyleix town, beside the juvenile soccer pitch in front of Stonearch. 

There are no public lights and no path at the last four houses. We looked at this before but then it went off the list. 

"There are a lot of children heading to the new soccer pitch that use this," he said.

Cllr Barry Walsh seconded the motion.

"Soccer season is in the winter, with dark evenings. There is a high volume of kids using this pitch and it's also for the residents as well," he said.

Read also: Speed ramps requested in rural Abbeyleix

In reply, Laois County Council's roads design team have agreed to meet Cllr Fennelly on site, to assess the area and to install streetlights if they are required.