Anti-social behaviour on dark Portlaoise street

A DARK Portlaoise street where lights are constantly out of action is a magnet for anti-social behaviour, according to local councillors.

The ongoing problem in Jessop Street was highlighted at a council meeting, when one councillor said the area was "quite dangerous".

The lack of public lighting near the train station in Portlaoise was also criticised and described as “really, really dark”.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley raised the Jessop Street issue, as she asked Laois Co Council to fix the public lights and “inform the council as to why there are continuous problems with the streetlights”.

“They continuously break again within weeks of repairs,” the Independent councillor told the December meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District (MD).

A council official replied that a temporary road closure would be required to repair all the lights in Jessop Street, as the project would involve extensive civil works. These works will be carried out in the first week of January, when the busy Christmas season is over.

Welcoming the response, Cllr Dwane Stanley said: “Every time the lights are fixed, they are gone again in a couple of weeks. Sometimes it’s the whole street, from the hotel to the dentist and sometimes it’s half the street. There are residents in the area and there is a carpark there as well but it’s very dark.” 

She added: “It's a street I drive down every day. This December I drove down at 3.30pm and, lo and behold, all the lights were out. Some residents have the lights turned on outside their properties because the street is so dark. There is not a week goes by only a light is gone.” 

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald described the situation as “quite dangerous” at nighttime in a busy area, with all the functions that are held in the Midlands Park Hotel.

Cllr Barry Walsh said he had reported some of the broken lights and felt that, because of anti-social behaviour, the issue should be brought before a meeting of the new Laois Local Community Safety Partnership, which has replaced the Joint Policing Committee.

Cllr Walsh commented: “I believe there is some anti-social behaviour down there as well and the lack of public lighting doesn’t help.” 

Cllr Paddy Buggy said he had received calls about the broken lights and anti-social behaviour, while worried residents had also approached him to appeal for action.

Cllr Buggy said: “The lack of lighting is a huge issue there. There is anti-social behaviour and I would also like something done on the speeding cars. A huge amount of lights are not working round the town. May be that’s why we are saving on energy bills but I'd prefer to see the lights working.” 

Similar problems near Portlaoise train station, along the densely populated Coote Street and Mountmellick Road areas, were raised by Cllr Fitzgerald who asked the council to address poor lighting, between the pedestrian crossing at the GAA Leinster Council offices and the railway bridge. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Dwane Stanley.

Cllr Fitzgerald said: “It's really, really dark and a lot of people use that area.” 

At the MD meeting held on 10 December, an official from the council's public lighting section replied that the lights would be fixed “in the coming days”.

Cllr Fitzgerald said: “I am delighted the lights are to be fixed. We have lovely new lights from there to Dunnes Stores, but there is a section at the bridge that is very dark.”