Amber warning lights at Raharney ‘depend on budget’
A request that amber warning lights and enhanced signage be provided on the approach to Scoil Mhuire NS in Raharney was made by Cllr Niall Gaffney at the June meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad.
The response provided by the executive noted that a new additional set-down area had been constructed, with a connecting footpath to the school, and said that therefore, additional school warning lights along the L-1503 would be costed and erected if a suitable funding source can be found.
If funding cannot be found, the work is to be considered as part of 2026 estimates.
The district also pointed out that school warning lights have been provided on the R-156 either side of the school.
Cllr Gaffney expressed disappointment at the funding caveat, saying rural schools in particular need more consistent safety infrastructure.
“I thought that would have been a bit of a no-brainer,” he told the meeting. “Every road, especially in rural areas and particularly where there’s a hill, needs some form of signage or safety measure to alert motorists.”
District engineer Pat Kavanagh agreed in principle with the councillor’s concerns: “I think there’s around 60 schools in the district, and I would say there’s lights at almost all of them at this stage,” he stated.
“We’re certainly not against it. We’ve done a lot of work out there for a new set-down on that side. At the moment, I think I have three requests for school flashing lights in the last week.”
He added that, pending funding, the council would install additional flashing or vehicle-actuated lights.
Delvin bins
At the same meeting, Cllr Gaffney Cllr Gaffney asked that the district provide an update on provision of a pilot scheme for ‘big belly bins’, for Delvin, to which the written reply provided stated that the village could be considered for the bins “or appropriate waste containers” if a suitable funding source can be found.
Cllr Gaffney was disappointed, stating that the last time he raised the issue, he understood Delvin was being considered as a pilot location for the bins, which have twice the capacity of the usual bins used.
“Has the position changed, or is that down the road, or is that something that’s in train?” he asked, to which district engineer Pat Kavanagh replied that while the council had applied for grant aid, funds were awarded only for the provision of such bins in Athlone. Since then the district has applied for CLAR funds, and was hopeful that this might bring a result.