Kildare County Council alerted to safety concerns over this street

Safety concerns relating to one South Kildare street have been brought to the attention of Kildare County Council (KCC).

At the latest Athy Municipal District meeting, which took place on Monday, November 17 last, a motion and a question which related to the area were taken together by KCC.

The motion was submitted by Fianna Fáil councillor Brian Dooley, who requested KCC to provide an update on road resurfacing and footpath works for Duke Street in Athy. His motion was seconded by his party colleague Cllr Veralouise Behan.

As for the question which was taken alongside the motion, Labour Party Cllr Aoife Breslin asked KCC: "Can the council confirm if funding has been received from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to carry out works to include upgrading of footpaths, junctions, pedestrian crossings etc on Duke Street and Leinster Street in Athy."

Responding to Cllr Dooley's motion, KCC said via the report it presented at the meeting: "No funding has been provided by TII to carry out these works to date."

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However, KCC assured Cllr Dooley that it would "continue to engage with TII to secure funding to allow these works to be completed".

In response to Cllr Breslin's query, KCC said: "No funding has been confirmed to carry out these works to date." 

Once again, KCC added that it would continue to engage with TII in order to secure funding for these works.

'PUT PRESSURE ON TII'

Speaking further on his motion, Cllr Dooley told KCC: "We need to put a bit of pressure on TII on this issue and get them to engage and grant us funding as soon as possible."

He also highlighted the growing population of Athy to KCC.

Cllr Breslin also remarked that while Athy has recently "gotten some very positive media coverage", she stressed to KCC: "Duke Street is letting us down."

"It's a dangerous street," Cllr Breslin added. "It needs to be completed."

(LEFT) Fianna Fáil Cllr Brian Dooley. (RIGHT) Labour Party Cllr Aoife Breslin

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Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.