Twenty-year cable campaign escalated by Laois community

Clonaslee has appealed to public representatives and Laois County Council's top management to find a way to get rid of cables from the scenic village.

After 20 years of trying Clonaslee Tidy Towns has raised the stakes on its campaign by appealing directly to Laois County Council's key decision-makers in an effort to accelerate the aim of putting the cables underground. 

Such work has also been completed around Laois most recently in Portarlington while Durrow benefited in recent years also.

Patrick Blake, Secretary, Clonaslee Tidy Towns, has written to county councillors and top management in a bid to escalate the work on the council's list of projects. He explained the situation.

"Clonaslee have a very good working relationship with many departments in Laois County Council and appreciate all the help and support received down through the years from everyone from County Hall.

"Clonaslee have been looking for over 20 years to get the overhead cables placed underground in the village from Clonaslee Heritage Centre (focal point in the village) down Main Street to the end of the street and all associated works (new paving on paths etc).

"This has been highlighted in many National Tidy Towns reports down through the years as close as 2019 and that it should be something that we continue to pursue to get it done. We have liaised on an annual basis to see if this could be done.

"If the cables were placed underground and all associated works, it would further enhance our beautiful Main Street and make the street look a lot nicer and neat with the cables placed underground for local residents and visitors alike.

The appeal concluded with an appeal: "Is this a project that Laois County Council could source funding for in 2023 under Town and Village Renewal Scheme or other funding?" 

The appeal was given a public airing at a recent meeting of public representatives and officials in County Hall where Cllr Conor Bergin, Fine Gael, referred to the letter when tabling a motion calling for the feasibility of the community wants to be examined.

"It is a heritage village in the Slieve Bloom mountains that attracts a lot of visitors...placing cables underground would also fit in well with our local strategy. Cables are necessary but can be unsightly," he said.

Cllr Paddy Bracken, Fianna Fáil, said he and his party colleague Cllr Seamus McDonald had tried to have work done previously and he would fully support any new efforts to underground the cables.  He money was not made available for the work to be done.

Cllr McDonald also backed the efforts and praised the 'trojan work' of the committee to make the town 'beautiful'.

"Clonaslee is flying and this would be a bonus," he said.

In a written reply, Paul McLoughlin, Senior Executive, Roads section replied in writing.

"Laois County Council will work with Clonaslee Tidy Towns and all relevant stakeholders to access the feasibility and likely cost of undergrounding overhead cables along the street. This assessment & associated cost estimate would inform any future applications for funding for future village renewal/regeneration / Public realm improvement works," he said.

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The matter was raised at the April Borris-in-Ossory Moutmellick Municipal District meeting.