Laois village 'has never had proper street drains'
A Laois village has "never had a proper drainage system" a local councillor claims.
Ballinakill village is home to the Midland's only public outdoor heated swimming pool, but the water on the street has nowhere to go.
"Ballinakill has never had proper street draining system. I couldn't believe that there are no gullies on the main street," Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said at the February meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.
She tabled a motion, asking Laois County Council to include the R432 road on the roads programme, "from the two trees out to the GAA grounds, also lower the dropped kerb outside the entrance to the GAA club and reinstate the road markings out as far as Heywood".
"I welcome that a section of road has gone through the roads programme. If there is extra money I'd like to see this continued to the GAA club.
"Also from the two trees nearly to Heywood, there are no road markings.
"At the GAA club you put in a four inch kerb with the intention of bringing up the road to that level. I'm getting complaints that there's that much of a gap," Cllr Dwane Stanley said.
Cllr John Joe Fennelly supported her motion.
The area engineer is Wes Wilkinson. He outlined how some of the work will be done.
"A section of road on the R432 Ballinakill in the vicinity of the pedestrian crossing towards the Laurel House has been included on the draft Restoration Improvement Programme for re-surfacing in 2023, subject to confirmation of the 2023 Regional and Local Road Grant allocations from the Department of Transport.
"Re-surfacing of the road on the R432 in the vicinity of the two trees towards the GAA grounds may be considered as an extension of these works should further funding become available.
"The dropped kerb at the entrance to the GAA Club will be examined and arrangements will be made to carry out works as required.
"The Portlaoise MD Office will make arrangements to refresh the road markings on the R432 on the Ballinakill Road out to Heywood in the coming weeks," the engineer said.