Buried Laois petrol tank is the elephant in the room

A buried petrol tank in Ballacolla is halting the installation of a footpath in the south Laois village.

So claimed a Laois County Councillor when it was proposed that Laois County Council extend the footpath in Ballacolla village from Hayes pub towards the Abbeyleix Road for pedestrians.

Cllr Conor Bergin, Fine Gael, tabled a motion calling for the work to be done but Cllr Ollie Clooney, Independent, said there is a bit underground obstacle.

Cllr Bergin praised the council for their work on footpaths in south and west Laois but said the stretch in Ballacolla needs work. He said it is one of the busiest walking routes in the area and there is a footpath on the other side of the road.

“It has been raised with me for safety reasons for those accessing the shop,” he said.

He hoped funding could be found in the Active Travel budget.

“Every small village needs good footpaths,” he said.

Cllr Clooney agreed that a path is needed as the surface is in an awful state. However, he said attempts have already been made but failed due to a tank.

“It would have been done only for this old chestnut, this famous petrol tank. No one even knows if there is petrol in it. It’s the elephant in the room,” he said.

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Mr. Edmond Kenny, District Engineer said the footpath configuration will be examined in the village to determine the need and available space for an extension to the footpath.

The issue was raised at the Borris-in-Osory Mountmelllick Municipal District Meeting in October.