Laois school in need of more parking spaces as Department of Education passes the buck
There has been a continued push for more parking spaces outside a Laois school, despite an ongoing back and forth between Laois County Council and the Department of Education .
Councillor Aidan Mullins sought clarification on the issue of extra parking at Sandy Lane NS in Portarlington at the recent meeting of Graiguecullen/Portarlington MD.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Mullins said he has raised the issue with the lack of parking spaces at the school numerous times.
He explained that there is currently no room for buses to pull in or out at the school and cars have to park in nearby housing estates during school times.
Laois County Council previously wrote to the Department of Education requesting that more spaces be added on the request of Cllr Mullins.
However, a letter from the office of the Minister of Education, Hildegarde Naughton, back in December advised that the matter was “more appropriate” for Laois County Council.
The letter advised the Laois County Council Director of Services, Julie Bergin, to contact the council directly, despite the fact that she is a representative of the council.
“Two things hit me here. Number one, that department officials were wrong. The second thing is that they’re addressing this to the head of finance in Laois County Council telling you to contact Laois County Council. It’s an idiotic response,” Cllr Mullins told the council.
Laois County Council have assured that it is in fact the responsibility of the Department of Education to provide the spaces.
Senior Roads Engineer for Laois County Council, Brenda Cuddy, said that the provision of safe access and egress to schools, including parking/drop off facilities is the responsibility of the Department of Education.
Laois County Council affirmed that it will support the Department “in any endeavour it wishes to make in improving the situation, but ultimately it is the department’s responsibility.”
Ms Bergin stated that the council cannot take the issue on if it is the responsibility of the Department.
Frustrated with the back and forth, Cllr Mullins said: “Where do we go from here? It’s getting embarrassing. This has been going on for years and years.”
The council intends to raise the issue again with the Department.
Supporting Cllr Mullins’ motion, Cllr Vivienne Phelan said: “It’s hard to understand how something relatively simple with a solution there couldn’t be facilitated easily enough.”
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