Safety measures planned at Laois school

New safety work is being planned at Ballyadams National School. 

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming asked for a number of measures at the school at a recent meeting. 

He tabled a motion requesting “that Laois County Council carry out safety measures at Ballyadams National School to include a new railing on part of the footpath from the school to the carpark, minor passing bays for  pedestrians and to upgrade road markings. Also, to move back further the flashing school light on the car park side as the current position is too close to the school to be effective following a meeting with school management and parent representatives.”

He said the councillors had a meeting at Ballyadams with the parents' representatives and management of the school which he described as very positive. 

Cllr Fleming expressed concern about the safety of children in the area. He said the “footpaths down to the carpark, they are away from the school.” 

“The younger children, the four, fives and sixes, they kind of run on the path and there’s nothing to keep them on the path and it can be dangerous for the kids there,” he said. 

He said the railings would keep children on the paths but he thinks the path will need to be widened first.   

“They are only 1.2 metres wide. If you take out a bit of the ditch it would be nearly enough,”  said Cllr Fleming. 

In response to the motion, Senior Executive Engineer, Philip McVeigh said “Laois County Council recently met with the school management and representatives for the school and will arrange for the installation of new road markings on the approach to the school as soon as possible. Works on the footpath and passing bay could be carried out pending agreement with the adjacent landowner. The flashing school lights have been referred to the Council’s public lighting section for review.”   

Cllr Fleming said flashing lights were placed too close to the school and needed to be moved back. 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran seconded the motion.

“It is good to see that we can now actually put in a few bits in the same area,” she said, although she questioned the number of elements in the single motion.  

Cllr Fleming and Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy both said it was a single motion and had been treated as such. 

The issue was discussed at the latest meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.