Freeze on public lighting illogical

SOME members of Dundalk Municipal District have spoken out against the moratorium on public lighting.

There has been a suspension of this activity by Louth County Council since 2009.

At the April meeting, Cllr Maeve Yore proposed a motion in which she called on the local authority to assess the junction of Seafield Road/Coast Road/ Rock Court in Blackrock and install public lighting for the safety of pedestrians and motorists.

In a written reply Directors of Service Catherine Duff and Frank Pentony said the area engineer, Operations, will assess the junction and accident records.

‘ There are no works planned for this junction in 2021.

‘Due to the current budgetary constraints for new public lighting and the ongoing maintenance and energy costs associated with same, there are no plans to install new lighting at this junction in 2021.’

Cllr Maria Doyle said the moratorium on public lighting baffled her.

‘ This policy doesn’t make any sense.

‘We need lights. People are falling off footpaths,’ she said.

Cllr Kevin Meenan added the moratorium had to go. He described it as ‘ Stone Age’.

‘We are encouraging people to be more active,’ he said.

Cllr Tomás Sharkey suggested that people who have electric gates could also light the front of their gateway. It wouldn’t cost much.

Cathaoirleach Emma Coffey said the 12-year suspension of public lighting needed to be addressed at an upcoming workshop on the budget.