High praise for Laois road salting teams vigilant work

Council staff who salt roads during freezing conditions deserve praise for the often unseen work they do in the early hours during bad weather according to a senior manager at Laois County Council.

Donal Brennan, Director of Services, paid tribute to Laois County Council’s gritting and salting crews and the engineers who coordinate their work this week.

He explained that an ice prediction system is used which sends council engineers alerts about temperatures and the number of salt runs needed in a night.

“If it takes a 4 am salting because of the weather that is planned into the system,” he said.

He praised the work done.

“It’s a job that quite often people don’t see but quite often staff are out at 3 or 4 am salting. Full credit to the council staff who get up when requested and salt the roads,” he said.

He added that engineers check their weather alarms during the nights to check if salting needs to be carried out.

“That system of vigilance will continue,” he said.

He was replying to a query from Cllr James Kelly, Independent, who asked about preparedness at a recent meeting.

He also told Cllr Kelly that contractors retained by Transport Infrastructure Ireland salt the motorways.

Cllr Paddy Bracken, Fianna Fáil, endorsed the view of Mr Brennan saying the staff in Mountmellick had been out over recent nights salting.

“We are prepared unless we get severe weather,” he said.

Laois winter gritting maps published

Cllr John King, Fine Gael, said there are depots in place where the public can access salt supplies for local salting. He urged people not to used these supplies for roads and not privately such as on their driveways.

Farmers warned of increased danger during expected severe weather

He listed depots in Durrow, Cullohill Rathdowney, Ballacolla  and Errill which have supplies in his area.

The issue was raised at a recent meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District in County Hall Portlaoise.