River cleaning rota to be drawn up by Laois County Council

The River Gully as it goes beneath the motorway near Abbeyleix in Laois. Image: Google Maps

placeholder image — The River Gully as it goes beneath the motorway near Abbeyleix in Laois. Image: Google Maps

Plan to inspect, maintain and clean debris from rivers in the Mountmellick Borris-in-Ossory Municipal District

Laois County Council is going to draw up a plan to inspect, maintain and clean debris from rivers in the Mountmellick Borris-in-Ossory Municipal District, which covers over a third of the county on the west side.

It comes after a motion was tabled to the district’s October meeting, by Cllr Ollie Clooney.

He said rivers that were cleaned out recently should get continued maintenance.

“Any river we clean we should never let it back the way it was, it’s like cutting a hedge. A stitch in time saves nine. You did great work on the Nore, if you did a yearly run like that. I hope the Gully river is included.

The council engineer Rory O’Callaghan told him that as screening reports are already done, “we should be able to get in easier”.

Cllr John King wants the same for the Gurteen.

“With the value of land now you can’t have water coming out on the fields,” he said.