Half a million spend planned for Laois bridges

Laois County Council has allocated over half a million euro for works on five bridges in the county. 

In recent years, there have been several bridges which have required urgent, emergency action arising from severe weather events and vehicle collisions, the council stated.  

A total of €525,000 has been set aside for the works. The allocations for works are as follows: Forest Bridge  €35,000, Wooden Bridge €80,000, Brittas Bridge €120,000, Clonmeen Bridge €190,000 and Knocks Bridge €100,000.  

The council confirmed it will carry out work on a bridge at Spink Creamery this year.  

Fianna Fail Cllr John Joe Fennelly said €100,000 had been allocated to the bridge last year but the work wasn’t done. 

“I am up there canvassing at the moment and it is coming up at every door,” he told the latest meeting of Laois County Council.  

“It was decided last year that €100,000 would be spent on the bridge,” he said.

Council Roads Engineer Paul McLoughlin agreed that it had been on the list for works in 2023. He explained that the works weren’t carried out because the council had a number of emergency bridge repairs which took priority. 

Cllr Fennelly was assured that the work would be carried out this year.