Urgent call for delayed safety work at Laois school

Road safety measures have been demanded near a Laios school by a local representative who claimed a promise to do so has been delayed.

Independent Laois councillor Ben Brennan called on Laois County Council to give a date as to when the safety measures will be put in place at Mayo National School which he said was promised earlier in 2025.

However, the written response, the Roads Section of Laois County Council indicated that delivery may be some way off yet.

“Road Design note that Mayo National School may need to apply to the Department to be included in the Safe Route to Schools Programme. Any interim safety measures will be assessed after a meeting with Cllr Brennan at the school,” he said.

Cllr Brennan warned that school children are at risk at the school which is located on the R431 between Crettyard and Tolerton.

“A child who only lives up the road cannot walk up to the house because of the traffic on the road. That’s what it is all about, safety,” he said.

He insisted that he was told work was going to be carried out and “now nothing is happening”. Cllr Brennan said the speed radar signs on the road no longer worked and he said traffic on the road was travelling at speeds of 80kph.

Senior Executive Engineer Tom Drennan said he believed Road Design met with Cllr Brennan but he noted “that obviously hasn’t happened.”

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He said under the Safe Routes to Schools programme, the schools have to apply to An Taisce. He said interim measures could be assessed at the location in the meantime.

The motion was seconded by Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming at the monthly meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District in October.