'Dead money' - Large sum set aside for new road and bridge linking Offaly and Laois that 'will never be built'

A big sum of money is sitting unspent to build a vital road around Portarlington to free up traffic.

There have been plans for an orbital route around the town for years.

There is €651,511.50 ring-fenced out of development charges to go towards it.

However a councillor in Laois has called it "dead money".

Sinn Féin Cllr Aidan Mullins declared "I'll be long dead before it is ever built," speaking at the May meeting of Laois County Council.

"I don't think it is going to happen. It entails a bridge over the River Barrow to come out at Gracefield. It'll never commence.

"€650k is dead money. It will never be spent. Can we channel it, utilise it in some other area?" he asked.

The answer was not what he wanted to hear.

Gerry Murphy, Director of Services in charge of finance, said that the money was collected in development charges for the specific project only and cannot be spent in other areas.

If unspent, it will be given back to the developers who had to pay it as part of their commercial construction projects.

"In the event of it not happening we will have to refund it," he said.

The road is planned to happen, Director of Services Simon Walton said.

"The Portarlington Local Area Plan lists the outer relief road and a number of internal roads. One of the complexities is there at least two or three require bridges over the Barrow, adding cost and complexity.

"We have a design team appointed to this three or four months ago. The development of a Portarlington Traffic Management Plan will be brought before members to inform the next Portarlington LAP. We can see if elements can provide traffic enhancement. 

"the special development levies are refunded to the person who paid them," he confirmed.