ESB switches off public lighting in Port estate

Portarlington housing estate Shandra Woods has been plunged into darkness this week as nobody has put their name on the electricity bill connected to the estate's public lights. ESB moved to allay fears of a blackout last November after the estate developer told the electricity supplier he was no longer going to pay the bills. Then an ESB spokesperson said the company would work with residents and Offaly County Council to find a resolution. No progress was made since however and following a disconnection notice the estate's public lighting was turned off yesterday (Thursday). According to the ESB's Keiran O'Neill a letter giving 16 days' notice of disconnection was issued on January 10. Mr O'Neill could not confirm who the disconnection notice was addressed to. Speaking to the Offaly Independent earlier yesterday Chairman of the Shandra Woods Residents' Association Jason Doyle maintained that residents hadn't heard anything from the ESB since Christmas regarding the issue. Residents are currently circulating a petition looking for Offaly County Council to take the estate in charge. Usually such an application would come from the estate developer, but no such application has yet been made. Local councillor Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick said if such an application was made it could be dealt with "relatively quickly". However Cllr Fitzpatrick added that an estate without public lighting could be seen as an unfinished estate and it could be argued that residents in the estate should be exempt from the household charge. The move to switch off the public lighting is now likely to spark a major post-mortem as residents come to terms with the news.