Not a Government "shilling" for Laois to build €5m Portlaoise road that helped bring jobs

The former Minister for Transport refused to assist Laois County Council pay for a road that has helped create hundreds of new jobs in Portlaoise so the Government now must give the local authority money to build bypasses around two of the county's big towns.

So insisted Laois TD Willie Aird in the Dáil, where the Fine Gael representative demanded that his Government back two road bypasses on the N80 around Portlaoise and Mountmellick.

He spoke in the Dáil chamber where the Minister of Transport, Darragh O'Brien was taking questions from TDs along with junior minister Jerry Buttimer. Dep Aird was irate with the lack of direct State funding to construct a service road through J17 National Enterprise Park, which is now the location of some big employers.

"When the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, came off at junction 17 recently, he saw the road that goes down through the business park (J17 National Enterprise Park) and travels solely to the west of Ireland. Not one shilling did it get from the former Minister, Eamon Ryan.

"I pleaded with him to give us money, but not a fivepenny piece did he give us for that. We funded that out of our coffers in Laois County Council, so the Minister owes it to us to put us into that national development plan," he said the Dáil exchange on June 24.

The Leinster Express / Laois Live revealed in 2022 that an audit report showed that over €7 m was spent on the business park with €4.9 m invested in the road. Dep Aird said he was a councillor when this happened and was also a local representative when funding was sought for road projects under the last round of the National Development Plan.

He asked the Ministers to include the Portlaoise northern orbital route and the Mountmellick bypass in the revised National Development Plan (NDP), which is due to be finalised in July. 

"When I was a councillor, I sat in Laois County Council during the previous NDP plan, and we were not included. We got nothing out of it. We were told the plan was closed for ten years, but because there was a general election that envelope was opened up. I assure the Minister of State that now that I am a TD, I will make sure these projects are in it," he said.

Dep Aird said the two roads are not just local road projects.

The Portlaoise Northern Orbital Route is due to bypass the Laois County Town before the roundabout at the Fairgreen housing estate.

"They are critical infrastructure with regional and national significance," he said.

"Without the orbital route, development is hindered, traffic continues to choke the town and emissions increase. It is clear that the inclusion of the Portlaoise northern orbital route in the revised national development plan is needed now.

"The bypass needed in Mountmellick is equally important. Mountmellick has suffered severe traffic bottlenecks for years, especially during the school rush hour. This is more than an inconvenience; it is a safety issue. The main streets in Mountmellick were never designed to carry the present volume or weight of traffic, including articulated lorries and agricultural machinery.

"The lack of a bypass affects the town's viability, slows economic development and poses safety risks to pedestrians and cyclists. It also affects regional connectivity, which we spoke about, between Tullamore, Portlaoise and surrounding areas. A Mountmellick bypass has been on the agenda for decades. It is time to move it into action," he said.

Minister of State Buttimer said the Government has earmarked approximately €5.1 billion for investment in new national roads projects between 2021 and 2030 and a further €2.9 billion for the protection and renewal of the network. 

"Regarding the Mountmellick bypass, in 2022 Laois County Council concluded the preliminary appraisal of options process in relation to a bypass of the town. However, a proposed bypass of Mountmellick, unfortunately for Deputy Aird, is not included among the projects that are identified for development during current NDP and therefore, it was not possible to advance the proposed project at that time. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

N80 sees trucks from Rosslare Port heading to west of Ireland, travelling through Mountmellick every day.

"The Portlaoise northern orbital route project was originally proposed during the 2000s and was to be funded by private developers at the time. However, following the subsequent recession and the funding stream no longer being available, the project was not progressed. While it is referenced by Laois County Council in its draft local area plan, it was not included in the current NDP due to issues of funding.

"With regard to the progression of projects such as these, it is important to point out to the Deputy and the House that it is for the local authority, in the first instance, to engage with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)," he said.

Simon Walton is Laois County Council's director of services with responsibility for roads. He gave an update on the local authority's actions.

READ ALSO: Hedegrow dangers highlighted by Laois trucker 

"Laois County Council has engaged with the Department the review of the National Development Plan and has made a submission that includes requests/recommendations that both Schemes (Mountmellick By-Pass and Portlaoise NOR) are included in the next NDP," he said.

The Department of Public Expenditure says a revised NDP is due to be published in July 2025. The review includes commitments on all public capital investment through 2035.