Deputy Oliver J. Flanagan has given notice of his intention to raise the subject matter of Question No. 48 on the Order Paper of the 21st May, 1970. The text is already on record.
Adjournment Debate: Offaly Bridge.
I sincerely regret having to detain the House beyond the normal sitting hours but this is a matter about which I am deeply concerned. This is the third occasion on which I have had to draw public attention to the very dangerous bridge over the Grand Canal near the town of Edenderry. On the last occasion on which I raised the question, I pointed out that there would be further serious accidents if the bridge were not made safe.
On the 21st May last, I asked the Minister for Local Government, as reported at column 2188 of the Official Report for that day:
...what urgent steps he proposes to take in conjunction with the Offaly County Council in regard to the dangerous Canal Bridge at Killane, Edenderry, County Offaly; if a grant has been made available to the council for this work; if so, when work is likely to commence; if his Department have any record of fatal and other serious accidents at this bridge in recent years; if the Council will have this work undertaken as a matter of urgency; the dates on which he received proposals from Offaly County Council in relation to the bridge; and the date of his approval in respect of making the bridge safe for public use.
The Minister replied:
It is a matter for Offaly County Council, who are the responsible road authority, to prepare a scheme for any work necessary at this bridge. No proposal in the matter has yet been received in my Department from the council.
Particulars of accidents at this bridge are not available in my Department.
Of course, the Minister for Local Government is the person responsible for public safety on the roads. He is responsible for the making of regulations to ensure reasonable public safety on the roads. However, no action has been taken either by the Minister or by the Offaly County Council in relation to this bridge at Edenberry since I last raised the matter here.
There has been a series of accidents at this bridge. Among the more recent was one on the 6th January last when a heavily laden lorry, the property of Mr. Liam Mallin, went over the bridge and plunged into the canal. If it had not been for the skill with which the driver acted, he would have been drowned. Quite recently, a honeymoon couple approached the bridge in haste and finished up in the canal. Luckily, they were rescued. Public opinion in Edenderry is very uneasy about the failure of the Department of Local Government to take the appropriate steps to make the bridge safe or to have the bridge closed so that people will not be in danger of losing their lives.
Last weekend, a young mother, Mrs. Canton of Mount Lucas, got a lift in a car as she was on her way to visit her child who was ill in hospital. Also travelling in the car was a seven year old boy, Martin Nolan. Although the car was being driven with skill and care it went over the bridge and there was nothing to prevent it from going into the canal. The result was that that young mother and the seven year old boy lost their lives. We extend our sincere sympathy to those who are left to mourn as a result of this tragic event.
I presume that this bridge is still in a very dangerous condition. On Sunday last there were empty tar barrels along the bridge where there should have been a parapet. These barrels were intended to prevent vehicles from going into the canal. When this was brought to the attention of the local public representatives the barrels were filled with water so as to make them a little more effective but, as everybody knows, barrels, whether they be full or empty, are no substitute for a proper form of protection.
I ask the Minister for Local Government if he has received any proposal on this matter from the local authority because the information I received yesterday from a source I am not prepared to disclose is that a letter, dated the 3rd July, 1970, was sent by Offaly County Council to the Minister's Department, was posted on the 5th July which was Sunday and arrived at the Department on Monday. I do not know if that is so but I want the Minister to kindly explain to the House what was the nature of the proposal submitted by Offaly County Council asking for his approval for the appointment of a consultant to deal with this bridge. I put it to the Minister that it was only after two people had lost their lives that a letter was posted to him from the county council. If a letter, dated the 3rd July but not posted until the 5th was received by the Minister, I say that the date, the 3rd, was deliberately put on the letter as a camouflage to suggest that the local authority were taking some action on this matter.
I ask the Minister also why no action was taken in this matter since I last raised it on 21st May? No move was made either by Offaly County Council or by the Department. If the letter to which I have referred was received by the Minister, is he prepared to authorise a Department inspector to hold a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the failure of Offaly County Council to take appropriate steps to render safe this bridge?
I do not wish to embarrass the Minister. He will, I know, do what he can, remembering the grief and sorrow in the homes bereft of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident. The local authority must be made to face up to their responsibilities. The situation is a deplorable one. If the county council engineer endeavoured to camouflage correspondence to the Minister's Department by dating that correspondence prior to the fatal accident at this bridge for the purpose of covering up failure and neglect that is something the Minister should investigate and I ask the Minister to investigate. If there is a proposal to appoint a consultant, will the Minister make it a condition precedent that the road will not be open to traffic pending the completion of the necessary work? There are no parapets on this bridge. A little inconvenience to traffic is preferable to further loss of life. The road must be closed to traffic or else barriers must be erected to prevent lorries and cars going into the canal at this point. There is a deep fall into the deepest part of the Grand Canal just here. I urge the Minister to send an inspector to the scene of this accident and to consult with the appropriate authorities to see what can be done to prevent further tragedies.
Offaly County Council and the engineering staff have slipped up somewhere. One man, Mr. Mallin, was told he would have to pay for damage to the parapet when his lorry went into the canal at this bridge. No matter how skilful the driver, it is impossible to negotiate this bridge and there is now absolutely nothing to protect a lorry driver or motorist from going into the canal.
The Minister should hold an inquiry. There has been neglect on somebody's part. The Minister must take drastic action. All those familiar with the area agree that no traffic should be permitted to use this bridge in its present condition. I know the Minister's courageous approach to public safety on land and in the water and I appeal to him now to take action which will prevent further loss of life. The bridge is a hazard and it will claim more lives if nothing is done. I have here a letter I addressed to the Minister:
On the 20th May last I raised the Parliamentary Question in regard to the dangerous Canal Bridge at Killane, Edenderry, Co. Offaly. I explained that this bridge was to my knowledge the most dangerous in Ireland and a death trap for the public. The Offaly County Council have to date taken no action in the matter and you replied that you had no proposals in your Department from the Council in connection with this bridge. I explained that there were several serious accidents where a number of people drove into the canal. I also explained to all concerned that a lorry plunged into the canal and only for the skill and good care of the driver, the result would have been another death.
Last week-end another fatal accident took place on the bridge. Two people lost their lives and the third is still in great danger and despite all this no action is taken to remedy these grave dangers, well known to the public. In the town of Edenderry feeling is very high and public opinion very strong in relation to this vital matter and I would ask you as Minister for Local Government to make an Order immediately closing down this bridge and cutting off this road until such time as this bridge is made safe. I will be deeply grateful if an Inspector from your Department will visit the bridge at once, and make a report to you with a view to closing same in order to prevent a further loss of life which is most certain if the bridge is left in its present condition.
Barrels containing water and some empty barrels will not prevent the public from plunging into the canal at this point.
If action had been taken after I had raised this matter in the Dáil last May the lives lost last week-end might have been saved but no one seems to worry or take drastic action in relation to these dangers.
I strongly object and I deplore the manner in which this matter has been handled and I am appealing to you in the interests of public safety to take action this week and to have something done to guarantee public safety at this danger point and in its present condition I can only suggest that you make an Order compelling the Council to have this bridge closed to all traffic forthwith in the interests of public safety. I await your immediate action and early reply.
I would be grateful if the Minister would give the date of any proposal received by his Department from the consulting engineer.
Deputy Flanagan, in raising this matter on the Adjournment, brings to our notice the very sad tragedy which occurred over the weekend. Our sympathy goes out to the families of those involved in the accident.
As Minister for Local Government I am, as the Deputy said, greatly concerned with road safety and safety in the water. I got notice that this matter would be raised on the Adjournment, after five o'clock this evening when my Department was about to close down.
In reply to the Deputy's question on 21st May I said there were no proposals before the Department and, as Offaly County Council are the responsible road authority, it is their responsibility to put forward proposals for improvements and, when that is done, we will deal with them as expeditiously as possible.
Deputy Flanagan has asked me to mention dates. As far as the Department is concerned, we received a letter yesterday, 6th July, from Offaly County Council. This letter was dated the 3rd July.
My information was correct then.
The letter forwarded an extract from the acting county engineer's report on the condition of the bridge. I believe this report was dated the 10th March. They also forwarded with the letter applications received in response to an advertisement published on the 3rd April from 13 firms for appointment as consultant engineers for the construction work which it is proposed to carry out on the Killane Bridge at Edenderry. I would like to put on record that the engineer's report on the structural stability of this bridge and on the question of load limitation might have to be considered.
The position at present as far as the Department are concerned is that there is a proposal before us, which we received yesterday, to sanction the appointment of a consultant to prepare working drawings for the reconstruction of this bridge. I do not honestly think we could be asked to have dealt with this matter more expeditiously as it has only been brought to our notice by the council within the last 48 hours.
I do not propose to hold a public inquiry. I do not feel the matter would justify such expense. There is a clear indication that the Offaly County Council are now aware of the need to improve this bridge and, as they are prepared to go ahead with proposals to improve it, I cannot see what I can do at this stage to expedite the matter. I will be in touch with the council tomorrow and will ask them to take whatever precautions they can to ensure until such time as work is carried out on this bridge that it is properly signposted in order that persons travelling on this road will have a clear indication of the dangers which seem to exist there. I do not really see, outside of that, what the Deputy can expect me to do. I promise I will keep an eye on this matter and as far as my Department are concerned we will very shortly sanction the proposal to appoint a consultant engineer for the job. I want to assure the House that any proposals brought before my Department in this matter will be dealt with with as little delay as possible.
I thank the Minister.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.55 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 8th July, 1970.