Protest taking place today on road closure at Ballymore Eustace

A protest is being held today on the closure of Coughlanstown Road, on the outskirts of Ballymore Eustace.

SEE ALSO: Restoration of Coughlanstown Road at Ballymore raised in Dáil

The road has been closed for the past 11 months, due to a burst water main which had resulted in serious subsidence of the road foundation and adjacent river bank.

SEE ALSO: No end in sight yet to road closure on the outskirts of Ballymore Eustace

The residents of Coughlanstown and further townslands using the road said they find themselves alienated from the community and forced to use a connecting road via Mullaboden which is not fit for the increased traffic.

The protest will take place at the Town Hall in Naas at 3pm, while the Naas Municipal District meeting is taking place.

The issue will be raised during the meeting today whereby Fianna Fáil Councillor Carmel Kelly is  putting forward a motion to request an update on funding to reopen the road from Kildare County Council.

She says “residents and businesses are suffering badly because of the closure”.

TD for Kildare South Fiona O’Loughlin has raised the issue in the Dáil to An Taoiseach.

It is estimated to cost €3.5 million at a minimum to restore the road, which would amount to 25% of Kildare County Council's annual fund for roads.

“Although many of them only live half a mile from the village they have to travel a detour on bad, narrow roads of nine miles. That also has a huge impact on businesses in the area”, said TD O’Loughlin.

She added that support from An Taoiseach is needed.