Councillors shine a light on their frustration with ESB Networks

THE issue of public lighting not working was brought up by numerous councillors at the recent county council meeting to adopt the 2026 draft budget, with many members frustrated by the service provided by the ESB.

Cllr Will Paton raised the issue during the discussion on the roads and transport division section of the budget. He said: “It is the same lights in the same estates going out, time and time again,” and added that the problem lies with ESB Networks.

Cllr Paton referenced a situation two years ago about the installation of four lights on Tullow Hill, where the municipal district paid cash up front to the ESB to get the lights connected, yet they are still waiting on the ESB to complete the job.

He also referenced ten public lights on the Templeowen Road that are frequently out of service.

He said: “I guarantee you that if you went around the members here, we would probably all be able to list about two or three others.” 

He added: “I am in private business; if somebody was paying me a year in advance to get a service, I guarantee you one week after being paid they would be screaming at me. I would be out of business, but unfortunately ESB is a monopoly, and they are not doing their job.” 

Cllr Andy Gladney “totally agreed” with cllr Paton and felt that it was a “horrendous amount of money to be paying for a service that is inadequate”.

Carlow County Council chief executive Coilín O’Reilly apologised about the situation but said that as the ESB is the only company capable of carrying out the work, there is not much else the council can do to try and solve the issue.