Laois County Councillors have agreed that new entrance signs are 'badly needed' in Laois towns and villages.

The issue was raised when Borris-in-Ossory Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin requested that Laois County Council erect new entrance signs to Castletown on the R445 road.

Senior Executive Engineer with Laois County Council, Mr Rory O'Callaghan, replied that these signs will be provided.

Cllr Bergin welcomed this response.

"This is something that the Tidy Towns in Castletown has raised with me. I know that this is something that has received a lot of requests from villages and towns for entrance signs, and signage has been upgraded in other villages as well," Cllr Bergin said.

"It's a small thing but it means a lot to people. The two signs that are on the main road at the moment, the old brown signs, are well worn down at this stage," he said.

"The community in Castletown has done a lot of work, and the Tidy Towns committee has been reformed in recent years and they are very active. They had an event for culture night back in September, these entrance signs are wanted in place, so maybe we can discuss with the Tidy Towns or a local committee on what logo should be put on the sign," Cllr Bergin suggested.

"I know that everywhere a sign goes up, there is usually a logo or an emblem that goes with it. it can be consulted. It's a fine village, a couple of Cllrs and I were out at gash gardens with the Laois Rose as well. The community do a lot of work in keeping it spick and span," he said.

"These entrance signs will just enhance the entrance to the village from the main road, so I ask that they can be put in as a matter of priority, as a way of recognising the work done by the community from Laois County Council," the Fine Gael Cllr finished.

This motion was seconded by Mountrath Independent Cllr James Kelly.

"I fully support this, we know that Castletown has great pride in their village, they were national Tidy Towns winners," Cllr Kelly said.

"A couple of months ago, I had a motion in about the state of the signs in the county, but there are a number of signs on that article road where they got power washed but they are still not legible and they haven't been replaced," Cllr Kelly highlighted.

"This is a county wide issue I believe.  I fully agree that any design we put in must be in conjunction with the Tidy Towns, or whoever has the responsibility of the area.

"That's what we did in Mountrath and the Pike of Rushall when we installed new signs, they look very well and they're fresh and clean, that's a most important part," Cllr Kelly stated.

"I think we should hold off a little bit because there is an entrance to Castletown from the Mountrath side that has to be realigned, so I would just say to get that road done first and the signage is in that area as well, then we can go ahead with the erecting of the new signs," Cllr Kelly finished.

Fellow Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney requested an update on the provision of an entrance sign to Cullahill village, having been promised over one year ago.

"I was waiting to get a couple of villages together to get a big order of signs, I have 4 orders in at the moment, still need a logo for the Cullahill one," the Senior Executive Engineer finished.

This motion was tabled at the October sitting of Laois County Council's Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District.

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