Road safety was in focus at the recent plenary meeting of Galway County Council after a tragic weekend on Irish roads.
Numerous councillors voiced their concerns on road maintenance and safety after a weekend which claimed the lives of seven people nationwide on Irish roads. Cllr Mary Hoade (FF ) said that “anything we can do to avoid road traffic incidents we must do”.
Pothole maintenance was high on the agenda. Cllr Andrew Reddington (FG ) said that the roads are getting “battered” by the weather and believes that a plan has to be put in place to maintain roads in this weather. Speaking via Zoom, Cllr Peter Keaveney (FG ) said that roads are in a “diabolical state” and likened them to a warzone.
Fine Gael councillor Laurie Harney said that roads are getting “worse and worse and worse” around the county, while Cllr Declan Geraghty (II ) feels that there needs to be another section added to the winter services plan about roadworks and potholes.
Cllr Geraghty alluded to driver’s behaviour on roads, particularly speeding outside rural schools, as another major reason for the number of accidents the country is experiencing. “Driver’s behaviour is absolutely crazy at the minute. People are gone totally heedless,” he outlined.
Cllr Declan Kelly of Independent Ireland did not mince his words.
“If the government pulled its head out of its rear end there’d be money to get this sorted.”
“It comes down to priorities,” said Cllr Kelly as he cited the rebrand of An Bord Pleanala, money spent on a new notice board for Dail Eireann, and the creation of new junior ministries.
Uinsionn Finn, Director of Services at Galway County Council said that the weather has definitely “had an impact” on road conditions. However, he outlined that reports suggest that Galway’s roads are in “good condition” and are good in comparison to other local authorities.
