Locals have appealed to Kerry County Council to address traffic safety concerns on one of Castleisland’s busiest roads.
A deputation from Scoil Naomh Chárthaigh – Boys' National School on College Road, addressed the Castleisland-Corca Dhuibhne Municipal District meeting to highlight their concerns.
The deputation was brought before the meeting by Independent councillor, Charlie Farrelly.
Addressing the meeting, Principal of Castleisland Boys National School Conall Kelly outlined how the volumes of traffic are creating safety issues.
He said students are worried about getting to school, while staff are acting like human shields to allow children to cross.
Mr Kelly told the meeting signage on the route is not enough, he said today is already too late to take action and asked the officials to vote on reducing the speed limit on College Road.
Junior Road Safety Officer at Castleisland BNS, 12-year-old Lucas Quinlan aired his concerns around traffic outside the school, especially in the morning and evening time.
He asked Kerry County Council to be proactive and not wait for an accident to occur before addressing the problem; and requested the provision of a lollipop person or a zebra crossing be installed on the road.
Chair of the schools board of management Catherine Rahilly noted that our children are tomorrow’s citizens and hoped that the council take their safety into consideration.
Independent councillor Charlie Farrelly appealed to council management for the provision of a lollipop person, noting this isn’t just for one school, it would served three schools and a care home, all situated on College Road.
He added the busy tourist destination of Crag Cave is also along the same route, so the road experiences huge volumes of traffic.
Cllr Farrelly urged the local authority to take the example in Killarney - where one council road worker has been used as a lollipop person during peak hours - to address concerns until an appointment can be made here.
Fine Gael councillor Bobby O’Connell said it’s important to remember that it is also an agri-community and traffic along the route regularly consists of tractors, which wouldn’t be the same issues as in Killarney or Tralee.
Fianna Fáil councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald requested a time frame be set and a funding stream to be pushed for, to deliver the safety requirements.
Independent councillor Jackie Healy-Rae told the meeting a price can’t be put on road safety, adding these requests don’t break the bank and anything that could be done to progress this should be done.
Responding to the delegation, municipal district engineer Breda Mulryan said the council is aware of the issues and is trying to source funding to put measures in place.
She says the speed zones will reduce to 30KM in the new year and the council can’t bring that forward; adding any potential crossing would have to be in a formal location to serve all three schools.
Ms Mulryan noted the issues are unique given that they are being impacted by schools further down the road; she added there would be more power if the three schools went forward as a cluster in relation to the measures.
