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Councillors Clash Over Road Damage In Laois

Wednesday, 2 November 2022 06:38

Photo credit: Facebook/National Ploughing Championships

Repairs to some roads around Ratheniska are required after this year's World Ploughing Championships.

A request to examine the conditions of the roads around the site of the National Ploughing Championships has led to a heated argument among local councillors.

Nearly 300,000 people attended the three-day festival in Ratheniska in September, leading to a need for some road repairs to be carried out.

Councillor PJ Kelly brought a motion to the recent meeting of the Portarlington - Graiguecullen Municipal district, requesting Laois County Council to examine the conditions of the roads around the National Ploughing Championship site in Ratheniska.

Senior Executive Engineer Phillip McVeigh gave assurances road repairs would be carried out, leading to Fine Gael rep Aisling Moran asking if the National Ploughing Association would contribute to these repairs.

She added that any other festival, such as Electric Picnic, would 'be made to do it.'

In response, Councillor Paschal McEvoy pointed out the 'phenomenal' amount of money the Ploughing brings into Laois, and says 'every hotel in the county is full for three days.'

He then accused the Fine Gael rep of trying to 'takeover' the meeting, and urged the council to move on to the next topic.

Councillor Moran says the public money should be used on new events:

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