‘Unfair’ distribution Laois council resources condemned

A Councillor said it is ‘disheartening’ for his local Tidy Towns to have to ‘fight and beg’ for resources from Laois County Council.

Sinn Fein Cllr Aidan Mullins tabled a motion calling for additional resources for the group. 

He asked: “That Laois County Council provide extra resources and assistance to Portarlington Tidy Towns Committee to help improve the visual appearance and streetscapes around the town.”

Cllr Mullins explained that Portarlington Tidy Towns are a voluntary group with just five members. 

“They find it very disheartening when they have to fight and beg for resources from Laois County Council,” he remarked. 

In response to his query, Director of Services, Gerry Murphy said: “Laois County Council engage regularly with the Tidy Towns and have delivered the Main Street footpaths project and the installation of 11 solar compactor bins for the town centre area, in consultation with the Tidy Towns.  The Council have also provided some tourist information sign boards recently, for use by Tidy Towns, in the Market Square and in the green area in front of the Leisure Centre carpark.  On an annual basis, the Council purchase and sow the bedding plants in the planters around the town and maintain these planters by regular watering and weeding.   Laois County Council also carry put grass-cutting in the public areas along with street sweeping, litter bin collection and herbicide control around the town.”  

Cllr Mullins said people would think everything was “rosy” in Portarlington judging by the response. 

He claimed when Portarlington was compared to Portlaoise there was “an unfair distribution of funding to Portlaoise and other towns are suffering" as a result. 

He said the Tidy Towns volunteers have to buy containers for plants and they have to give a contribution to the CE Scheme in order to get assistance with work.

“The Tidy Towns, a voluntary group, have to pay for that. This is a council responsibility. It is a derogation of responsibility by the council,” he said.

He said the council don’t provide planters  in Portarlington yet on one stretch of road in Portlaoise there are 20 of them. He insisted he didn’t begrudge Portlaoise but he did feel it was unfair.   

“We have two I think and it looks like weeds growing out of it and the tidy towns have to provide it,” he said. 

“When they look for something, the funds aren’t there,” he said. 

Cllr Mullins claimed the Tidy Towns do all the weeding of the paths and roadsides in Portarlington town. 

“It’s not the council, it’s a small Tidy Towns committee do all this work. When you look at Portlaoise you have landscape contractors and they are manicuring every piece of grass,” he said.

“Portarlington is neglected. It looks derelict in comparison,” he said.

“It is like it is the Tidy Towns and the CE Sheme’s responsibility to look after Portarlington,” he said. 

Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy said he agreed with everything Cllr Mullins had said. 

“Portlaoise seems to be a million miles away from everywhere else in the county,” he said. 

“It is not fair play, it is not good enough,” Cllr McEvoy added. He maintained there was money coming in to the county but “it is definitely not being distributed evenly.” 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran agreed 100% with Cllr Mullins and branded the situation a “disgrace”. 

“It is like as if Portlaoise is the only town in the county and the rest gets the scraps,” she said. 

Fine Gael Cllr PJ Kelly said he wanted to back the motion. 

“It is the crumbs off the table for the second largest town in the county and the crumbs off the table don’t feed the dog,” he said. 

Cllr Mullins thanked the councillors for their support.