Living people 'being neglected' as archaeological dig causes delays in Laois

All the old water pipes from the reservoir in Stradbally need to be replaced, a councillor has said. 

Cllr Paschal McEvoy made the comment at the last meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District. 

He asked in a motion “that this Council call on Irish Water to fully replace all old water pipes from the reservoir at Oughval to Old Mills / Ballyteskin.”

In a written response, Senior Engineer Water Services Adrian Barrett said works were ongoing but an archaeological find near the graveyard was delaying matters. 

“These works are ongoing at present and are being undertaken by Uisce Eireann. There is a slight delay to a portion of these works due to an archaeology find near the old cemetery. A temporary solution was progressed last week due to a further burst in private lands,” Mr Barrett stated. 

Cllr Paschal McEvoy said action needs to be taken in relation to the water supply as people are suffering. 

“There are three weekends in a row where the water went on Friday and they hadn't it back until Monday. There was no alternative water made available to the locals,” he remarked. 

He told the meeting the issue has been ongoing for years and the pipes need to be replaced. 

“We cannot have farmers without water for three or four days. We can’t have people with young children and older people, life needs water on a full time basis. The pipe that burst on Friday was fixed and another one burst on Saturday and that wasn’t fixed until Monday,” he said. 

“There’s no month goes by without some kind of a burst,” said Cllr McEvoy.  

"The only solution is replace all the pipes,” he said. 

https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/property/1050818/over-100-derelict-houses-found-in-two-laois-towns.html

Cllr PJ Kelly said he believed the works were being held up by an archaeological dig.  

“One person said to me it is possibly an asses leg that they are going to find compared to live people being neglected,” he said. 

“That’s frustrating those people up there even more,”  said Cllr Kelly. 

“I think the same archaeological dig is going to stop the footpath,” he added.

He was hopeful the issue would be resolved soon.