Lighting can't be installed in Longford alleyway as property is not in council ownership

Longford County Council cannot provide lights on a Main Street access to Annaly Park as it's not in council ownership.

Lighting at the alley way between Longford Main Street and the Annaly Park car park adjacent to Longford courthouse was raised at the November meeting of Longford Municipal District.
Cllr Seamus Butler asked if the council could take action: “There is no lighting in the alleyway. There are many people who don't like to use the Garvey's Yard access to the car park, and this is the alternative access from Main Street. This is a particular problem on these dark evenings. Workers park in the car park. For safety and security we should put lighting from Main Street down into the car park.”

Senior Engineer Eamonn Bennett said the council were not in a position to provide lights to the area: “This has come up before. The issue is that this is a private alleyway. The official entrance to the car park is through Garvey's Yard.”

Cllr Butler asked if there was a public right-of-way through the privately owned alleyway to the car park. Mr Bennett outlined that there was an issue with taking the alleyway “in charge”, and this prevented the local authority from working on it: “The ownership belongs with the property owner,” he explained.

Cllr Butler asked if the car park access could be taken in charge. Mr Bennett said a previous interaction on the matter indicated that the property owners did not want the area taken into council ownership: “Having said that we can go back and ask again. But it's my understanding that the property owner is opposed to having it taken in charge.”