Climate cash to fix flooding on road to Laois glamping site

A road to an award winning glamping site in Laois becomes unpassable during heavy rain, but climate action funding will be used to fix it.

Fine Gael Cllr Barry Walsh has asked Laois County Council to address the issue outside the Glamping Under The Stars campsite in Kilvahan, Ballyroan.

"The water comes across the road and causes a lot of flooding with severe weather. Cars couldn't get past. There will need to be more funding for this in future," he said.

He tabled a motion to the March meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking for drainage works.

In reply, area engineer Wes Wilkinson said that Portlaoise MD office will clear the culvert, and they will also include the location as part of an application for Drainage Works funding under the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Scheme.

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Cllr Walsh tabled another motion about road flooding to the meeting, this time at Aughnacross in Ballinakill. 

"This is a similar issue, flooding. The existing culvert is not fit to take the extent of water coming down," Cllr Walsh explained.

He also asked for the sightlines to be improved. 

Mr Wilkinson said that emergency works have already been carried out to replace the culvert at the location.