Laois schools face closure over lack of investment in communities

Schools in Laois face closure due to depopulation caused by a lack of investment in public infrastructure such as sewerage that stops new houses being built, a councillors have warned warned.

The red flag over schools was raised by a Laois public representative who claims to have received huge public support for highlighting the fatal future facing villages and small communities that don’t have wastewater treatment systems.

Cllr Ollie Clooney, Independent, spoke at a recent meeting with Laois County Council officials where sewerage infrastructure was raised by his fellow councillor Conor Bergin.

Cllr Clooney said in April that the lack of such infrastructure was needed to help communities facing a “slow and painful death”.

“I’m over the moon about the support I’ve got since,” he said at a May meeting in County Hall.

Cllr Clooney said there had been a national response to the issue he raised in April. He told the May meeting that the council has a responsibility to ensure houses can be built to bring families back to small communities. Otherwise, he feared that schools would close due to depopulation caused by an absence of infrastructure.

“They might be full now but who is to say what will happen in five or ten years time,” he said.

While he listed Ballacolla, Shanahoe and Cullohill as three communities that need sewerage infrastructure to survive, he said others should benefit.

“I want to see this in every village in Laois,” he said.

He said Laois County Council has to tap into a new national fund for sewerage systems in rural areas.

“We’ll have to fight for our share in Laois,” he said.

He was speaking on a motion tabled by Cllr Bergin, Fine Gael, at the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District. He called on the County Council to apply to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for funding for a new sewerage scheme in Coolrain under the new scheme for un-serviced rural villages recently announced by the Minister.

Cllr Bergin said Coolrain is just one of a number of villages that need schemes. He pointed to a €50 million national scheme for villages and settlements around the country that do not have such a facility.

He urged the Council to apply for villages to be included in the scheme which will remain open until September. 

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for villages like Cloolrain to get access to wastewater infrastructure. It’s as important as broadband or the ESB if we want these villages to survive,” he said.

He said Coolrain had already been identified in laois as a  growing community in need of such investment.

“It’s a lovely area to live in but the lack of wastewater infrastructure has been a huge stumbling block,” he said.

Mr. Simon Walton, Director of Services, replied in writing. 

“The scheme in question relates to an advance measure on the Rural Water Programme – the closing date for the submission of applications is September 2022 – in the period to September 2022 Laois County Council will examine various town/villages throughout County Laois without waste water services all with a view to identifying the most suitable appropriate location to comply with the terms of the grant scheme on offer,” he said.

The motion was also backed by Cllr James Kelly, Independent. He called on Laois Offaly TDs to get behind applications from Laois County Council.

Portlaoise driver had no insurance, tax or L-plates

He said such infrastructure must precede further house building in rural villages as mentioned by previous councillors.

Cllr John King, Fine Gael, also backed the proposals. He added that property owners would be persuaded to sell land for housing if sewerage systems are developed.

Cllr Seamus McDonald, Fianna Fáil, also backed the proposals and hoped that Rosenallis could be included.

Cllr Paddy Bracken, Fianna Fail, welcomed the €50 million but said that areas of his own town are left without a sewerage connection. “It’s a disgrace in this day and age,” he said.