Anger at lack of response to emergency motion on Dunkineely NS road crossing

No reply has been received from roads governing body Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to an emergency motion regarding concerns for the safety of children crossing the road at Dunkineely NS. 

Cllr Noel Jordan (SF) brought the motion at a meeting of the Municipal DIstrict of Donegal a month ago.

At the March meeting on Tuesday, March 12, Cllr Jordan did not hold back in voicing his discontent at the total lack of response or action to this urgent matter. Furthermore, he and a number of other councillors who raised issues at Donegal County Council’s Roads Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) were told that it was not the appropriate forum.

“If we are to go up the rungs of the ladder to get it heard then surely that is the way to do it,” said Cllr Jordan who is among the councillors highlighting the issue of speeding motorists regularly ignoring or failing to see the red light at school crossing. 

He continued: “A number of members were told on the day, ‘“Don’t be bringing up stuff that should be brought up at local level.’

“That is highly annoying. 

“I am asking again that we get some kind of response back from road design to what they are doing there at Dunkineely school.”

Cllr Jordan stressed that he was not blaming anyone within the Donegal MD, but was reiterating that safety measures need to be implemented before a child is seriously injured or killed.

“I am not pointing the finger at anyone here,” he said. “But I put down this emergency motion last month. Work needs to be carried out there as a matter of urgency.”

Area roads officer Mark Sweeney said discussion had to go through TII’s road safety officer. 

“The regional TII roads safety officer is aware of it because I took it to them myself,” he said. 

Mr Sweeney said he would follow the matter up.