"We're getting it in the neck": Laois County Councillors slam road repairs backlog

At a Laois County Council meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick municipal district on Wednesday September 11, a motion tabled by Councillor John King led to the discovery of a four year backlog to roadworks under the Local Improvement Scheme.

This information prompted a heated discussion over allocated funding from the central government.

Cllr King tabled a motion that 'the council give an update on roads completed through the Local Improvement Scheme, and on the roads to be resurfaced before the end of 2024.'

"The Road Maintenance is 100% complete, Road Improvement programme is 75% complete, there is two outstanding CIS jobs in Kirwan Park, Mountemellick and Ossory Court, Borris in Ossory. 5 of the 7 LIS Scheme completed to date also," explained Senior Executive Engineer of the Council's Road Department in Laois County Council.

Cllr King welcomed the update.

"We as councillors hear that money is announced, and everyone feels that their roads should be done," said Cllr King.

"It's important to impress this on the people out there that apply," he said.

Independent Councillor James Kelly seconded the motion.

Pictured: Four year backlog to road repairs under the Local Improvement Scheme.

"I fully support Councillor King's motion. 

"Forty five percent of the county's public roads are in our area, and we have a high percentage of lanes as well that we need to get done too," Cllr Kelly said.

"But the question I want to ask is, what stage are we at?" Cllr Kelly asked.

"Are we at the stage where somebody that put in an application five years ago is now done this year, or is it four years ago?

"I have some motions in for a couple of years now. I have to go back to people and say no, not this year, so what stage are we at?" the councillor asked.

Mr Dowling responded that there is a four year backlog on the local improvement scheme, and that attempts are being made to clear it.

"We do get most LIS schemes in the Western area, the most progress being made on the list is in the western area," Mr Dowling explained.

Cllr Kelly accepted this, while pointing out his frustrations.

"I do recognise that James, but the fact is, there’s probably 70 or 80 applications on the list at the minute, and we have highlighted it and we’ve said that this is a great incentive, but to get €350k a year to try and get lanes done is just not going to work," said Cllr Kelly.

"One lane could be one hundred thousand, one could be eighty thousand. We’re the ones who will get it in the neck from the people who have made the applications," Cllr Kelly said.

"The government are just playing games with us and not giving us the proper funding. Why don't they just send us down a million and we’ll get some of these lanes done, and we’ll finish it," he said.

Councillor Kelly and Councillor King expressed their disappointment with the four year delay, and asked for the council to be involved in the decision making process for the next three-year road plan.

"The message here today for people applying now is that there will be a four year wait on the current budget," Cllr King said.

"I think we have the right to go now and get more money, I’m very disappointed in this four year waiting list and I want to see people that do apply, get their results certainly within a year and a half. 

"Some of these people are building houses on these roads as well. Four years is way too long," said Cllr King.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Seamus McDonald agreed with the presented points.

"We all agree with that and certainly four years is too long for people to have to wait," Cllr McDonald said.

Councillor Paddy Bracken also gave his support to Councillor King's motion of notice.

Leas Cathaoirleach Councillor Conor Bergin supported the motion, requesting an in-committee meeting on the matter.

"Chair, just to add to that I fully support the notice of motion," said Councillor Bergin.

"It is too long to wait, and we’re the ones getting it in the neck from people who have applied a couple of years ago and are expecting their application to come up. 

"Before this notice of motion is presented, can we have an in-committee meeting to discuss it amongst ourselves first," Cllr Bergin requested.

"They are important decisions to make and I think we should have a meeting before it's finalised," said Cllr Bergin. 

Director of Services for Laois County Council, Donal Brennan, agreed with Cllr Bergin's request.

"It is important that the views of the council are taken into account, along with the engineering considerations in the programme," the director said.