Council should collaborate with tidy towns group for funding works on Laois bridge
Three of the six arches in scenic Castletown Bridge are completely blocked. Image: Laois Tourism
THE latest meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick municipal district heard that Laois Co Council should collaborate with Castletown tidy towns committee in attempting to draw down funding from the Department of Rural and Community Affairs and the OPW to clean the silt from under the bridge, to scour the arches and to install a new sluice gate.
The motion was put forward by Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin, with the official response from the council being “Ecological consultants are currently carrying out a natura impact statement. When completed, Laois Co Council will lodge an application to commission pleanála for approval to carry out the works and an application for funding to the OPW. Its provision of a new sluice gate is not part of the current works and will be reviewed with Laois Co Council’s consultants and the OPW.’’
In making his case for the motion, Cllr Bergin highlighted that the issues had been brought before the chamber time and time again over the years and that, despite it being lodged with the commission in January, now six months on there remained no significant movement forward. It was a great shame, as the community were very proud of the site In its current state, the three arches beneath the bridge are completely blocked, with the associated sluice gate aged out of its purpose.
The councillor: “So, look, it's very clear what's there, but it’s just to apply for the funding mechanism now to get it done. It's a huge amenity for the area. Everyone knows it in Castletown. Even on the Laois Co Council website, it's one of the leading pictures that we've got up presenting the county of the bridge there in Castletown. So, look, hopefully the next time we ask about this, we'll have an update and it'll be gone to commissioner O'Neill and we'll see progress on it in the next year.’’
The motion was supported by Cllr Ollie Clooney, who also thanked the council for the survey they were conducting on a number of local gulleys in junction with the Castletown bridge issues, as it meant they would drain some of the waterlogged areas along the bank, thereby helping local farmers who had been wrestling with waterlogging issues, including himself.
He said: “So, I think it's great news for all the farmers involved because a huge amount of land was flooded this year on account of that gully not being. And, you know, I'm certainly looking forward to it and I hope that the survey goes well and that we can get it cleaned before the winter.”
