Private road to Laois cemetery should be public insists councillor

Councillor tells staff in County Hall that the road does not qualify for a scheme for repairs to private routes.

placeholder image — Councillor tells staff in County Hall that the road does not qualify for a scheme for repairs to private routes.

Council wants the council to take over and repair the route in Killeshin

Laois County Council should convert a private road in the Killeshin area for public use because it’s used to access a council-managed cemetery.

That was the demand made by Cllr Ben Brennan, Independent, who called on the responsibility for the road at a recent meeting in Portlaoise.

He tabled a motion calling on the local authority to take in charge the roadway around the graveyard to Killeshin. He explained that the public have no choice but to use the private route.

“To get to the council graveyard you have to use that road,” he said.

He said an effort was made to get funding under the Local Improvement Scheme but the road did not qualify. He believes the Council should step in because the public uses the route to get to the council-run cemetery,

Paul McLoughlin, Senior Engineer, replied in writing.

“Laois County Council will establish the status and ownership of the roadway. Following this

the taking in charge process or the declaration of the road as public as appropriate will commence,” he said.

The issue was raised at the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District meeting held in Portlaoise recently.