Elderly woman's door smashed on Portlaoise laneway used by students

AN elderly woman’s patio door was smashed on a laneway used by hundreds of students from Portlaoise CBS and Scoil Chríost Rí.

Some students are also gathering in the laneway at weekends to drink alcohol, according to a councillor who was contacted by worried residents.

At a council meeting this morning, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley claimed that the elderly woman was targeted, because of residents’ complaints about student behaviour on the public laneway beside The Hermitage housing estate.

However, Cllr Marie Tuohy said she preferred to think that the damage was accidental and “just tomfoolery” gone awry, rather than deliberate vandalism.

Cllr Dwane Stanley raised the issue at the May meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, when she asked the council to engage with St Mary's CBS on the Borris Road, ‘to address the boundary issue between the school and the public laneway, that’s causing concerns for the residents of The Hermitage estate’.

The Independent councillor asked for fencing to be erected to prevent access, as there is a gap in the boundary between the secondary school and the public laneway that adjoins The Hermitage. She said that, while the council could erect fencing on the public side of the laneway, the school had responsibility for the section on its own property.

Cllr Dwane Stanley, who visited the site with council senior engineer Wes Wilkinson, said: “Unfortunately, one of the elderly residents in the area became a target and her patio door was smashed in smithereens.

“The gap is being used by the entire student body to gain access to the school. I know students are going to take short cuts but I was contacted by two residents, whose properties are adjacent to the laneway and they have concerns about the number of students going through there, especially since the new bus route.” 

The councillor said it was also unacceptable that The Hermitage estate is being used as a set-down area by parents dropping off and collecting students, while a number of students are also using the estate for parking.

Cllr Dwane Stanley said she called to St Mary’s CBS regarding the issues and left her contact details with the school secretary, but unfortunately she didn’t even get a reply. She said: “The council will have to engage with the school to resolve this. A couple of hundred euros would resolve it.” 

She was supported by Cllr Barry Walsh, who said he was also contacted by concerned residents.

Mr Wilkinson confirmed that a letter would be sent to the principal of St Mary's CBS. He said that a fence on the public side of the laneway would involve only about two metres and, if some measures were taken by the school on their side, the problem would be resolved.

He said: “Our intention is to engage with the principal, as it is an issue primarily for the school to secure the boundary.” 

Cllr Tuohy pointed out that the laneway was also used by Scoil Chríost Rí students, not just St Mary’s CBS. She said that the route was “not a short cut but just a habit”, as it was just as long as the main access route.

She said: “It has become a sort of meeting place for students. I think that if the schools were to ask students not to use the laneway, it would resolve it.” 

Regarding the smashed patio door, Cllr Tuohy commented: “While it is very upsetting for that lady, I like to think that it was accidental and just tomfoolery that went awry.” 

Cllr Dwane Stanley agreed that students at the girls’ secondary school also used the laneway. She said: “I have video evidence of hundreds of students using the laneway. The elderly woman’s door that was smashed, they have become a target because they complained about it.” 

She added: “Students are there on the weekends too and there is an issue of consumption of alcohol there on the weekends.” 

Cllr Tommy Mulligan said that he understood residents’ frustration but the school was very limited in what it could do as it would have to consult with the management company, as it was a public-private partnership.

Cllr Mulligan said he was told by the school principal that it was out of their hands and it was the management company that had to be contacted regarding the issue, rather than the school. He said: “They can’t even put up a shelf without consulting the management company.” 

Cllr Dwane Stanley said she did not accept that, adding: “The estate is being used for parking and as a set-down area and that’s not the responsibility of the management company. It’s the responsibility of the school. Residents there want to live without their patio doors being smashed.” 

District Cathaoirleach Cllr Paddy Buggy said he also met residents of The Hermitage and there was “a whole load” of issues to be addressed. He felt a meeting should be held with all stakeholders.

After further debate, it was agreed that a meeting would be held with all stakeholders to resolve the issue.