Portlaoise getting ‘all the money’ for Laois leaves rural areas with ‘no hope’

Rural Laois is losing out to Portlaoise which is getting ‘all the money’, insists a Laois public representative who fears that there is ‘no hope’ for rural areas if most public funds in Laois end up in the county town.

So declared Durrow-based Independent county councillor who insisted while Laois should be getting more money for roads etc too much is going to the county town.

“The money for rural areas is drying up,” he told fellow councillors and Laois County Council management.

He said Portlaoise is mopping up the majority.

“Nearly all of it is being spent in Portlaoise. I don’t think that’s good enough,” he said.

Cllr Clooney.

He instanced the €304,000 given to Laois County Council as to help people who live on so-called private roads in rural areas as one example. He called the sum received for the Local Improvement Scheme.

Cllr Clooney was also disillusioned by money awarded to Laois under an Active Travel programme to encourage more walking and cycling in Ireland.

He said Durrow, Cullohill, Ballacolla and Shanahoe had not received one penny under the scheme which will see €3.3million allocated to Laois this year. More than €2 million of this will go directly to Portlaoise projects.

“It’s not good enough”, he said.

Cllr Clooney said his calls for footpaths and pedestrian crossings n rural areas and villages have been ‘ignored’.

“I’m not taking this lying down. We have to fight for rural Ireland. We see millions going to Portlaoise so the money is certainly following the population. If the money keeps following the population, rural Ireland has no hope at all,” he said.

Millions for Laois national roads upkeep but zero for new routes or greenways

Cllr Clooney told the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Muicipal District meeting that people in his area are disappointed.