TII slammed for lack of urgency on road safety at south Donegal schools

Children’s lives are at risk due to grave road safety concerns at primary schools in south Donegal, the July meeting of the Municipal District (MD) heard.

And councillors are frustrated that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is not treating the matter with the absolute urgency it deserves.

Ongoing safety issues have been highlighted at schools in Dunkineely, Inver, Frosses, Pettigo and Donegal Town. 

Among the most serious is Dunkineely NS, where video footage has shown cars breaking the red light while a child was crossing outside the school.

This matter was raised repeatedly in meetings of the Municipal District (MD) of Donegal, and TII has come back and said a feasibility study is being carried out. 

Cathaoirleach of Donegal MD Cllr Noel Jordan (SF) said: “We have raised this since February.

“The kids are on summer holidays now and the report on the feasibility study is still not back.

“The kids will be back at school and it is still not done.

“The parents are frustrated. We are frustrated as members.”The councillor further expressed his frustration that a proposed solution of speed ramps could re quire planning permission.

“If it does, we will have to go through the process of seeking planning and then funding,” he said.

“It is not urgent enough. People are worried about their kids. They are worried about what is going to happen down there. 

“We are going round in circles. 

“They don’t seem to be taking the road safety issues seriously.”

Cllr Jordan also expressed concerns about school traffic from St Naul’s NS, Keelogs and the dangers posed where it joined the main road at Inver. He believes the reduced quality of the road surface and deterioration in markings are contributing to the problem.

“TII said they would overlay from Inver Bridge to Ardaghey,” he said. “The overlay is done everywhere else, from Mountcharles to Dunkineely. The only bit missing is Inver Bridge to Ardaghey. 

“It was on their programme. Every time we ask we are told it will be done but it is still not happening.

“Part of the problem is, what do you do at that junction? Flashing signs would be a good idea

“It would help in the meantime if that was relaid.”

Cllr Jordan called for TII to be contacted on this matter. 

Cllr Jimmy Brogan (Ind) expressed concern about Frosses NS and asked that it too be looked at urgently, as did any school where traffic came onto the main road.

“Every school that comes on to the main road should have one of those signs that shows the speed you are going at,” he said. “That certainly slows me down.”

Cllr Micheál Naughton (FF) asked if there was any update on proposed safety measures at Scoil Aodh Rua Agus Nuala in Donegal Town. 

“I know the design is done,” he said. “It is a huge issue for Donegal Town.”

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Niamh Kennedy said that all councillors were in agreement with the urgency of road safety at schools.

“Raised tables are being looked at in a number of schools in the district - Pettigo, DOnegal Town, Dunkineely.

“The TII are not taking it seriously enough that there are children’s lives at risk.

“We are banging our heads off a brick wall. It will have to be done sooner rather than later.”Cllr Manus Boyle (FG) said: “I endorse that. The wains will be going back to school in September and nothing has changed. We need urgent action.

“If some child is hit at a school, what are they going to say, you sat round a table and nothing happened?”

Donegal County Council’s Area Roads Officer Mark Sweeney addressed a number of the issues raised by councillors, and shared their frustration.

He said the feasibility study for Dunkineely was due in the third quarter of the year.

“It may or may not need planning,” he said. “If it does, we have to go through that. If it doesn’t we still have to go through TII.

“I will keep the emphasis on them.”

On the issue of flashing lights, Mr Sweeney said: “They are moving away from them because people were using them to see who could go fastest.”

He added that upcoming workshops on new reduced speed limits would look at some roads in the vicinity of schools. 

In regard to Scoil Aodh Rua Agus Nuala, Mr Sweeney said a new layout had been done for the school, and if approved it would then go to the Board of Management and parents for approval.

“It is a large scheme planned from the middle of the church to the Old Laghey Road junction,” he said. “That will involve raised tables etc.”

A further issue was raised by Cllr Naughton about recent problems with the traffic lights at the lower Scoil Aodh Rua Agus Nuala school crossing.

Mr Sweeney explained: “Water ingress was a problem. We got that sorted and then there was a button problem. We have that sorted now.”