‘Not good enough’ - Old people ‘going to mass in the dark’ in Laois
Public lighting is needed at the church in Ballacolla
A Laois councillor said elderly people are “going to mass in the dark” due to a lack of street lights in a Laois village.
Cllr Ollie Clooney requested Laois County Council to erect additional lights at the church in Ballacolla at the November meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick MD.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Clooney said: “The winter is in now and it’s very dark there. We need extra poles there and proper lighting. Elderly people going to mass in the dark is not good enough.”
He was supported by Cllr John King who urged that something be done in the interest of safety.
“When there is a funeral on people park on the side of the road and the estate, which they have to. It’s a shocking busy road coming down to a junction so lighting is a necessity there, no question about that,” Cllr King said.
The Road Design section of Laois County Council agreed to meet with Cllr Clooney at the church in Ballacolla.
A full lighting assessment of the area will be carried out by the Council and costings will be got for any proposed additional lighting.
Road Design said they will liaise with Cllr Clooney on the matter.
Cllr Clooney welcomed the response, emphasising that it is a serious safety concern.
Of Laois County Council’s €140 million budget for 2027, public lighting has been allocated over €1.5 million for next year.
This figure is up over €100,000 from last year when almost €1.4 million was ring fenced for public lighting in the county.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme