Sunken Laois road described as 'very dangerous'

Work is to be carried out at sunken road in Mountmellick that was described as very, very dangerous. 

Fianna Fail Cllr Paddy Bracken asked for the work to be carried out quickly after the subsidence led to a road closure. 

He tabled a motion asking “that this Council repair the road that has subsided at Barkmills, Mountmellick.”

In response,  Senior Executive Engineer, Edmund Kenny said: “Subsidence of the road has occurred because material wash out next to the River Owenass at Barkmills. Remedial works will involve soil nailing the unstable slope. These works will be completed in the coming weeks.” 

 Cllr Paddy Bracken described it as a very serious situation. He said he had recently visited the area. 

“The road is now closed and of course there is people discommoded as a result. It was very, very dangerous and again, thank you for your prompt action Edmund,” said Cllr Bracken.  

“Hopefully it will be done as soon as possible because it is awful, it is very lucky there was no one killed out there,” he added.    

Fianna Fail Cllr Seamus McDonald said he wanted to support the motion. 

“It is very dangerous out there. A tree went into the river as well,” said Cllr McDonald. 

He said the sooner the work was done the better. 

The issue was discussed at the January meeting of Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal  District.