Laois direct provision bus passengers waiting in darkness without shelter

It is 15 years since a direct provision centre opened in a rural hotel in Laois, but there is still no streetlight or bus shelter outside it for residents.

A renewed call has been made by a Laois councillor to provide a bus shelter at the Montague Hotel off the old Dublin Road near Emo.

Cllr PJ Kelly said it is for the safety of residents who are now waiting "in total darkness"  on the side of the road, for passing busses to see them.

Cllr Kelly tabled a motion to the November meeting of Graiguecullen Portarlington Municipal district on the issue.

"That Laois County Council consider putting in place a bus stop canopy opposite the Montague Hotel in the interests of safety as residents are standing on the side of the road in the winter months in total darkness waiting for busses.

"Many road users have brought this to my attention as a matter of urgency," Cllr Kelly said.

He said that the residents must also walk in the dark, with no footpath, across a busy roundabout to get to the local shop in the Gandon Inn.

"They step in over the barrier, but not them all. If they don't step over and a car comes, it can't see them. 

"I was there, a person was walking and by the luck of God they turned their mobile phone, my wife said 'Jesus watch out'." he said at the meeting.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy seconded the motion.

"This is going on for years. They go up to the shop the whole time. Most of them travel by bus, a shelter would be a great asset," he said.

In reply, an Active Travel official with the council said that "the council does not currently have funds to provide the bus shelter requested".

"The council awaits further direction from the National Transport Authority as regarding how such standalone bus shelters will be funded and supplied going forward".

Irish Direct Provision centres are overdue to be shut down, following widespread criticism by human rights organisations.