At the latest District Council meeting, Gorey Fine Gael Cllr. Darragh McDonald raised his ongoing concerns about the delayed response times for public lighting repairs in the area. Specifically, he pointed out that several pedestrian crossings in both Gorey and Courtown have been without lights since last October, despite repeated requests for action at every council meeting.
“I’m deeply disappointed by the performance and the turnaround times we’re seeing with the lighting issues in the county,” said Cllr. McDonald. “We’ve been asking about these lights at every meeting, and yet, they remain unresolved, with some pedestrian crossings still without working lights months later.” Cllr. McDonald believes that a lack of enforcement of service level agreements in contracts with lighting contractors is a significant factor contributing to these delays. He expressed frustration that the turnaround times promised in the contracts are neither being monitored nor upheld by the contractors or subcontractors involved. “There’s no way the turnaround times are being enforced. These contractors are not meeting the service standards that were agreed upon,” he said. “It’s clear that there are bigger issues in other counties, but that should not come at the expense of Wexford’s safety.” Even more concerning to Cllr. McDonald is the fact that payments to contractors are remaining unchanged, despite the acknowledged issues. During the meeting, the Director of Services confirmed that the payments to contractors will continue at the same rate, regardless of the subpar performance. “This isn’t good enough. We’re essentially paying the same amount for an incomplete and inadequate service,” Cllr. McDonald stated. “This problem cannot be ignored, especially as we move into the brighter evenings. If these repairs are continually pushed aside, we’ll find ourselves facing the same problems again when the nights draw in.” Looking ahead, Cllr. McDonald is adamant that immediate action must be taken. He believes that the contracts need to be renegotiated and rewritten to ensure more timely and effective repairs. If additional funding is required to improve the service, he is fully supportive of allocating the necessary resources. “We need to get a handle on this issue quickly. If it means spending a bit more to ensure we get the proper service, then so be it,” he said. “People expect their taxes to be used effectively, and public safety should always be a priority. I’ll continue to push for better performance in this area.”