Fears Laois bridge near collapse despite push for repairs going on 16 years

A bridge nearing collapse in a Laois village has been brought to the attention of Laois County Council again, with local councillors pushing for repair works to be carried out urgently.

Councillor Seamús McDonald has reiterated the need for repair works to be carried out on Finn's Bridge in Rearyvalley, Rosenallis as the issue has been ongoing for 16 years.

The Fianna Fáil councillor asked Laois County Council for an update on the bridge at the March meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick MD. 

The same request was made by the councillor in 2025. 

Last year, Laois County Council said that a Natura Impact Statement was being prepared by consultants and fish pass designs were issued to the Inland Fisheries Ireland.

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They also stated that Flynn's Bridge had been accepted onto the IFI's Barriers funding program for 2026. An application to An Coimisiún Pleanála for the works was being prepared at the time of the motion by Cllr McDonald in September.

This year, the council said that the Natura Impact Assessment report was being finalised and will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála in the second quarter of 2026.

They noted that the bridge works and the time of the works are dependent on this report being approved.

Cllr McDonald insisted that the work be carried out soon as it is near the point of collapse. 

"It's going on 16 years and at the moment it's ready to collapse. Sooner the better it's done because one of these days it's going to be in the river", the councillor said.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme