No budget for new public lighting installations in Clare town warns council official

A senior official at Clare County Council has revealed there is currently no budget whatsoever to fund any new public lighting installations in Ennis.

This information was revealed in response to a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Pat Daly ahead of the monthly meeting of Ennis Municipal District.

Cllr Daly asked for consideration to be given to installing public lighting on the main road, Ennis side of Toonagh Stores, to accommodate approximately six homes that are completely in darkness once night time comes.

In a written reply, Acting Senior Executive Engineer Paddy Tiernan stated: "Ennis Municipal District does not currently have a budget for new public lighting installations. We have checked with our colleagues in the Public Lighting Department who have advised they solely maintain responsibility for the maintenance of the existing public lighting network and do not possess a budget for new public lighting installations."

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The engineer went on to describe that when assessing requests for public lighting, and undertaking a cost-benefit analysis, Ennis Municipal District must consider existing local conditions including the presence of footpaths, population density and the existing speed limit.

Explaining the reasoning, he said: "Given that the proposal is within a rural location, with an 80kph speed limit and has an absence of pedestrian facilities and a localised speed limit, it is deemed the installation of public lighting would not be appropriate at this current time." 

However, Mr Tiernan noted that this project will be kept in mind should further funding opportunities present themselves.