CIE 'just goading' Laois council over footpath

Irish Rail are just goading Portlaoise councillors by neglecting to address the problems of the footpath on Fr Browne Avenue, which has been a health and safety issue now for some ten years.

So said Cllr Willie Aird, at the recent meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District.

He raised a notice of motion asking the council to write to CIE inviting their representatives to discuss the issue of the continuation of the footpath on Fr Browne Avenue at the level crossing.

He was informed in a written reply from Ms Kim Kinsella, administrative officer with the roads department, that a request will issue to Irish Rail on this issue.

Cllr Aird said he had raised this motion on numerous occasions and just last week he witnessed a lady with a child and a small child in a pram walking on the road, when a car came out that had to jam on the brakes.

“It’s only a matter of opening a section, they’re just goading us at this stage,” he said. “They will not come along and do the work, ten years this is going on.”

Supporting the motion, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said it was impossible to walk that road with a buggy, as some traffic is going at a fair speed. She agreed that the problem has been going on for years.

“How long will CIE leave us hanging? I know people who have stopped walking up there with a buggy as it’s too dangerous,” said Cllr Fitzgerald.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly pointed out that CIE had a meeting with the council over a year ago and nothing had been done.

“They don’t want to listen to public representatives, we’re being made little of,” he said.

Director of services, Mr Kieran Kehoe said he welcomed Cllr Aird’s notice of motion and said he would make a submission of request to CIE. He said that once the circular road is completed it would be possible to bypass Fr Browne Avenue.