Laois parents fear children falling into river beside green play area
Parents in a Laois housing estate are asking the county council to fix a fence along a river beside the green playing area, in fear for children falling in.
The Cross of Newtown housing estate is in Ballyroan, south of Portlaoise town. It borders the Gloreen River, a narrow waterway behind a chain fence.
However that fence is again in need of repair.
Fine Gael Cllr Barry Walsh tabled a motion to the May meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, with a request on behalf of parents in the estate.
“Residential communities in the Cross of Newtown bounded to the Gloreen, they are worried about their small kids trying to jump the river. The residents want it fixed, they feel unsafe,” he explained.
His motion asked the council to repair and make safe the boundary fencing. In reply the Portlaoise MD officials agreed to meet him onsite to examine the fence, they say “with a view to repair/make the location safe if appropriate”.
Cllr John Joe Fennelly had seconded the motion, noting that the council did some work a couple of years ago on the fence.