Councillors call for safety audit at Limerick schools

There were a number of close calls at schools recently - including this accident at St Paul's NS, Dooradoyle where a car mounted the footpath and crashed into a wall. Luckily there were no injuries

placeholder image — There were a number of close calls at schools recently - including this accident at St Paul's NS, Dooradoyle where a car mounted the footpath and crashed into a wall. Luckily there were no injuries

A FINE Gael councillor has called for a safety audit to be carried out at every school in Limerick and for a Safety Officer for schools to be appointed in every county.

“The burden needs to be taken from school principals. They have enough to do,” Cllr Adam Teskey said at a meeting of Adare- Rathkeale Municipal District.

The Department of Education had inspectors for education, he pointed out, so why not have inspections for safety.

There was an onus on the Department, he argued, to have a Safety Officer in every county and to come up with an overall plan to tackle the lack of safety and the lack of set-down areas in schools. He proposed they should write to Education Minister Norma Foley on the matter and called for a full safety audit of schools.

Concerns raised after car crashes into school wall on busy Limerick road

Fellow Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary pointed out that there was ‘mayhem’ at many schools during drop-off and collection time. And he argued that this year’s allocation to the Municipal District of over €1.1m under the Active Travel Fund should be diverted to ensuring child safety at schools.

However, he was told that only two schools in Limerick had applied to a new Safe Routes to School fund for the provision of safe zones.

Cllr Kevin Sheahan pointed out that “casual” visits from members of An Garda Síochána to schools could have a positive effect on “careless” drivers and he suggested that it be put on the agenda for a future meeting of the Joint Policing Committee.

“I disagree,” Cllr Bridie Collins responded. “I don’t think we should be policing parents at school. I think it sends the wrong message.”

But Cllr Sheahan said “grown adults need to be advised that a car can’t pull up anywhere at all”.

Karen Foley, the administrator for the Adare Rathkeale Municipal District, liaises with the Road Safety Authority as Education Officer for Limerick and explained to councillors that they do work on safety in schools and also have safety leaflets available.

Cllr Bridie Collins asked that the RSA would undertake a safety campaign on school drop-off.