Complaints over Laois town being ‘ignored’ by local bus service

Laois TD Brian Stanley said Graiguecullen is being left without proper bus services

Published 9th Sep 2026, 18:30 BST File photo. Laois TD Brian Stanley said Graiguecullen is being left without proper bus services Sign up to our Laois Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Laois Live within your account.

Thousands of people living on the Laois side of the county border with Carlow are without a local bus service, a local TD has argued.

Workers, students and families in Graiguecullen have raised numerous concerns with Laois TD Brian Stanley regarding the lack of bus services in the area.

The local link bus service serving Carlow Town and Graiguecullen is not reaching enough areas in Graiguecullen due to how the National Transport Authority has designed the route, according to Deputy Stanley.

“The local bus service, which is supposed to serve Carlow town and Graiguecullen, only travels one road out into Grauigecullen and that's Sleaty Road, which happens to be the least populated area. The other 90% of the population in the Graiguecullen area, approximately three and half thousand people, are left without any service,” the Independent TD said.

Currently, the bus only goes out as far as Dunne’s Stores on the Sleaty Road and then returns to Carlow Town. Deputy Stanley argued that this is “of little use to the vast majority of people in the area.”

He stated that four major roads in Graiguecullen are being “completely ignored,” these include the Portlaoise Road, Killeshin Road, Springhill Road and Leighlin Road. Each of these roads have very large estates yet are without any bus service.

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Deputy Stanley added that this is also exacerbating the traffic issues in Carlow Town as people are forced to use their cars.

The Laois TD is making representations to both heads of the NTA and to the Minister for Transport Dara O’Brien to have the issue resolved.

“I don't find it acceptable as a Laois TD that so many people in a large urban area in Laois can simply be ignored by the powers that be.”