'A serious accident is going to occur there before something is done'

A local senator has warned that a ‘serious accident is going to occur following a near-miss at a primary school in the south of the county.

Senator Manus Boyle has called on Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to urgently assess traffic conditions at the junction by St Naul's National School at Keelogs.

“This is a dangerous junction that is putting children, parents, school staff, and road users at risk every single day,” he said..

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“A great deal of heavy traffic uses that road, which is also part of the Wild Atlantic Way. The speed of some of the vehicles along the section of road adjacent to the school is, to be honest, frightening.

“Parents and staff are very concerned that there is a risk of a serious accident at morning drop-off and evening pick-up times at the junction where people turn off the N56 to enter the school.

“There was a near miss there after Christmas, which got people really concerned. I ask that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, be requested to carry out a traffic survey at that junction at both drop-off and pick-up times.

“A serious accident is going to occur there before something is done. We really need TII to step up and carry out a survey during the period 9am to 10am and at 3pm.

“Our children should be safe going to and coming home from school. In fact, all road users should be safe. Perhaps a sign or something of that nature could be put up at the junction, but TII really needs to take an in-depth look at it at the times to which I refer.”

Senator Seán Kyne replied: “Speeding outside schools is an ongoing issue and is particularly problematic on national routes because there is a greater volume of traffic passing by those schools.

“I am not familiar with the location but perhaps Transport Infrastructure Ireland will be able to carry out a road traffic survey to see if there are any actions it can implement to make the area safer for students, teachers and parents dropping off children.”