Housing estate under Laois County Council control described as ‘not safe’

The Castletown estate has major issues with its footpaths and roads

Published 17th Sep 2026, 12:30 BST The footpaths in Ard Edmond estate in Castletown. The Castletown estate has major issues with its footpaths and roads An estate under the authority of Laois County Council has been described as “not safe” due to numerous issues with its footpaths and roads.

Multiple residents of the Ard Edmond estate in Castletown have voiced their concerns regarding footpaths, kerbs and roads in the estate.

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Cllr James Kelly raised the issue at the September meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick MD.

This is a Laois County Council serviced site and the road through it is a public road.

The Planning Department of Laois County Council explained that in regards to serviced sites and taking in charge estates that the legislation provides that where a council, acting as a housing authority, constructs a road and does not explicitly decide otherwise, that road automatically becomes a public road and is considered to be “in charge” of the road authority, as the same legal entity.

Accordingly, the land is in public ownership, as are the services installed within it.

“It’s not safe. Footpaths and kerbs are in a poor state of repair,” the Independent Councillor said.

“It is in very poor repair. I got a number of emails from concerned residents and there were issues there with the ESB too. There was an ESB supply box that was starting to corrode there.

“The paths and roads are continuing to get worse and there are missing water meter lids all over the estate as well.”

Cllr Kelly said he hopes that the Council will assess the estate and see what works need to be carried out.