'Laois town is forgotten about and left with unaddressed issues' says election candidate

A Laois candidate for the upcoming General Election has asserted that Graiguecullen tends to be forgotten about due to its location. 

Mary Hand is a Graiguecullen native and Aontú candidate, who maintains that many locals believe that Graiguecullen goes forgotten about due to its distance from Laois County Council offices in Portlaoise.

"Because we're on the border of Laois and Carlow, a lot of people feel that were the forgotten area," Ms Hand explained.

"We're so far away from Portlaoise and the County Council offices, we are far removed. We need representation in our area, it would be great to have a TD down here.

"People need to have someone local to voice their issues to. For example, we have an issue with the traffic lights in Graiguecullen. The one set of traffic lights we have on Bridge street," she said.

"This is an issue that has been brought to both Carlow County Council and Laois County Council, and still nothing has been done. It falls into both areas, and still nothing," Ms Hand argued.

The road has seen a high volume of trucks travelling along its path, much to the contention of several locals.

"We have huge trucks going up and down there, for whatever reason they are choosing not to use the new ring road," Ms Hand explained.

"There are small school children walking with their parents to the school nearby, and it's highly, highly dangerous there. There are no bollards on either footpath on either side of the road, and its an extremely busy street.

I was driving down one day and for some reason a big truck had just stopped, it may have been broken down. It caused mayhem on this road for hours. There are issues on this road and still nothing has been done about it," Ms Hand said.

"It's definitely a problematic area and has been brought to the attention of local representatives, and still nothing. 

We need representation from a TD level in our neck of the woods," the Aontú candidate finished.