Graiguecullen could be the ‘Budapest of Ireland’

A LAOIS/Carlow border town could be ‘the Budapest of Ireland’ with proper investment, according to a county councillor.

The unlikely link between Graiguecullen and the capital of Hungary was made by cllr Aisling Moran when she appealed for more money to be poured into the town on the Laois-Carlow border. The River Barrow marks the border between the two counties, with a large section of Graiguecullen in the Carlow electoral area, although the town is in Co Laois.

The river separating Graiguecullen from Carlow town prompted cllr Moran to draw a comparison with Budapest, where the River Danube divides the old district of Buda from the newer district of Pest, which united as one city in 1873.

The independent councillor from Ballylinan also suggested attracting a Center Parcs style resort to the old sugar factory site in Carlow.

The Hungarian rhapsody unfolded at the latest meeting of Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District, when cllr Moran proposed that Laois Co Council give a commitment to spend a percentage of development levies on community, recreation and amenities in the Graiguecullen area each year.

She said: “Graiguecullen is growing and it’s the third largest town in Laois, but all that’s in it is housing. It needs amenities. You have Carlow on one side of the river, Laois on the other. It could be the Budapest of Ireland, two different towns.

“We could have the Blueway coming right into it. We have to look at Graiguecullen and its needs and ringfence money for projects there.” 

 In a written reply, Laois council’s head of finance Julie Bergin said that council development levies are used to fund public infrastructure and facilities that include roads, recreational amenities, playgrounds, community centres, landscaping, heritage projects, urban and rural development and more.

Ms Bergin added: “Resources are directed to areas where projects are actively being implemented. The council does not intend to allocate a fixed percentage of development contributions to specific parts of the county but rather aims to use these funds to support project delivery throughout the entire county.” 

Unhappy with the response, cllr Moran claimed that contributions from Graiguecullen were going to Portlaoise and that the council was not actively looking at any projects in the Graiguecullen area. Ms Bergin replied that development contributions are used not only in Portlaoise but around the county and money is spent where projects are identified.

Cllr Moran suggested that there could be a footbridge across the Barrow at Graiguecullen, with bars and restaurants and an extension of the Blueway to make the area into a tourist attraction.

She said: “I have asked about the sugar factory and maybe doing a collaboration between Carlow and Laois, to have something like a Center Parcs in it. If you ringfence that money, we will come up with projects.” 

Cllr Aidan Mullins from Portarlington suggested the creation of a public park in Graiguecullen. He agreed that there was a need for further investment in the town and said that a development plan would be the best way to begin.

Graiguecullen-based cllr Ben Brennan declared that his area is “the forgotten end of the county” without even one EV charging point.

He said: “I have to go into Carlow just to charge my car. Ninety percent of the money is going to Portlaoise. Portarlington has gotten very little of it and Mountmellick has gotten very little of it, too.” 

Senior engineer Tom Drennan noted that a new strategy for EV charging points is being rolled out nationally, which he expected would be implemented by the active travel section of Laois Co Council.

Cllr Moran said that Graiguecullen needs a ‘town centre first’ plan, which could be developed either solely by Laois Co Council or in collaboration with Carlow Co Council. Such plans have already been implemented in such areas as Mountmellick and Rathdowney.

Ms Bergin said the possibility of such a plan for Graiguecullen would be “a discussion to have” with the council’s town regeneration officer.