Collentine wants to see wires going underground

The undergrounding of some of the overhead electric wires in the Austin Friars Street is a project close to the heart of Cllr Bill Collentine, chairman of the Mullingar Tidy Towns committee.

Cllr Collentine raised the subject for discussion at the February meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District, where he requested an update as to whether there is any advance with plans to shift the street’s overhead wiring into underground ducting in order to enhance the appearance of town.

"These wires are ugly and this is one of the main entrance ways in to Mullingar: this is where a lot of people come in to Mullingar and this is what they see – wires hanging down under dirty lamp posts," Cllr Collentine stated, adding that they run all the way from the Dublin Bridge to the tennis club.

Cllr Collentine said that because of the way the wires are hanging, it is impossible for the businesses to put Christmas lights up along Austin Friars Street.

The official written response from the district executive stated that the work would be subject to funding and undertaken in a similar manner to works in the scale of public realm/town centre enhancement measures.

The response went on to assure Cllr Collentine that the team will watch out for suitable funding opportunities. It added that current quotations have been sought from the ESB.

Cllr Collentine said he felt the ESB should be responsible for some of the costs of the work. "Would they contribute to this?" he asked.

Cllr Denis Leonard spoke in favour of Cllr Collentine’s motion, and said that if wires can be placed in underground ducts, they should be, as it was safer.

District engineer Pat Kavanagh said he could not remember what the cost of the work had been estimated to be, but it was certainly in the hundreds of thousands of euro.

"I have sought a revised quotation and hopefully, it will come back at a reasonable cost. And then we can seek funding: there may be some grant available for it."

Purple flag

At the same meeting, Cllr Collentine enquired when will purple flag poles be installed in Market Square and Dominick Square so that Mullingar is recognised as providing a safe and entertaining nightlife atmosphere. The response from the executive stated that flag poles will be installed in Q1 of 2023.

Shopping trolleys

Cllr Collentine also asked that the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District liaise with the bigger shopping centres to establish a process to collect the abandoned shopping trolley around the town and housing estates. By way of response, the executive stated that abandoned shopping trolleys reported to the MDMK will be referred to the relevant retailer.

Disabled Parking

Cllr Collentine also lodged a request asking that the district install disabled parking spaces on the Green Bridge end of Dominick Street. "This will be examined, and a suitable location identified," Cllr Collentine was assured.