asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the number of accidents that have occurred at the following Galway road junctions within the past six months: (a) the junction between Renmore Road and the main Galway-Oranmore Road, (b) Moneenageesha crossroads, and (c) New Cemetery crossroads; how many people have been injured in these accidents; and what percentage of the total accidents in the Galway urban area have occurred at these crossroads in the past six months.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - Accidents at Galway Road Junctions.
18.
So far as the Garda Síochána are aware, a total of 17 accidents occurred at the three junctions referred to in the past six months. This represents 19 per cent of the total accidents of which the Garda are aware in the Galway urban area in that period.
Thirteen people were injured in five of the 17 accidents.
With your permission, a Cheann Chomhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report a tabular statement showing a break down of the accidents at the three junctions.
Following is the statement.
|
Junction |
Particulars of Accidents |
Number of Persons |
|||
|
Fatal |
Personal Injury |
Material Damage |
Killed |
Injured |
|
|
1. Renmore Road—Main Galway/ Oranmore Road |
Nil |
1 |
1 |
Nil |
2 |
|
2. Moneenageesha Crossroads |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
1 |
|
3. New Cemetery Cross |
Nil |
3 |
8 |
Nil |
10 |
|
TOTAL |
Nil |
5 |
12 |
Nil |
13 |
I should like to ask the Minister if he can say whether any negotiations have taken place between the local authority and the Garda in Galway concerning the large number of accidents at this corner? Furthermore, I do not accept the figures in his reply because I myself saw more accidents than the number stated. Perhaps some of them were not reported to the Garda because they were not serious enough. Anybody in Galway city can testify to the quantities of glass from cars scattered on the road and we are very disturbed——
The Deputy is not asking a question: he is making positive statements. Why does he not ask a question?
I am asking whether any negotiations have taken place between the local authority and the Garda Síochána, before a fatal accident occurs there?
Since Deputy Molloy put down the question, I have had the matter investigated and I am equally as concerned as he is about the situation at the junctions in question and I have asked the Garda Síochána to take up the matter with the local authority in an active manner.