I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me raise this matter in view of all the different tragedies that have taken place at many black spots throughout the country even since Christmas. The issue I wish to deal with is the accident black spot at Slane Bridge, County Meath, on the N2.
I express my sympathy with the Garvey family on the tragic death of their son, David, whose second birthday is today and wish his parents, Cathal and Joan, a speedy recovery. The problem at Slane Bridge has been on-going for many years with one tragedy after another. This week's tragic death of little David Garvey has galvanised the local people into demanding immediate action from our politicians. As one of those politicians I make no apology for raising this issue even though I was criticised by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government this morning on local radio. Some 22 people have died at this black spot. Traffic lights were erected there about 14 years ago. It is unbelievable that a greater number of deaths has occurred since the erection of those lights. I asked three days ago for the lights to be turned off but I was told by the officials that it was a big decision to make and that they would have to discuss the matter further. Those who use that road and stop at the lights, as I did last Saturday in the course of my ordinary constituency duties, take their lives into their hands waiting at the bottom of the hill. They hope it will not happen to them, that they will not be in the wrong place at the wrong time as happened to the Garvey family last Saturday morning.
When the Minister was asked yesterday to discuss the matter with me on local radio this morning he refused to do so. I am an elected member for the same constituency and it is unfair that the Minister would consider that I or any other Member would want to use the issue as a political football. As a politician and elected Member for the past 20 years I have a duty to raise matters such as this. It is not easy to do so because of the NRA rules and regulations.
The Minister informed us today that £640 million is to be spent between now and the next three years on different roads but only £60,000 is to be spent in Slane which is the biggest single area of the county for disasters. More tragedies are waiting to happen.
The following suggestions were made at a public meeting which I attended in Slane last Tuesday night at which over 400 people were present: first, to remove the traffic lights immediately; second, to provide a sand bed all the way down on the left side of the road so that in the event of lorries getting into difficulty there will be some place for them to go; third, to remove the footpath on same side of the road and put it on the other side; fourth, to purchase the timber yard at the bottom of the hill so that in the event of a runaway lorry there will be a cul-de-sac and the lorry will not have to try to negotiate the bridge if it is out of control – the Leas-Cheann Comhairle would use that part of the road more often than I; fifth, to provide a camera on the Collon side of the town with a film in it so that heavy vehicles travelling at more than 20 miles per hour at that point can be fined heavily, say £500; sixth, the NRA to put in place a long-term programme for the building of a new bridge; seventh, the plans that were discussed in the mid-1990s should be taken off the shelf and the Minister should direct the NRA to ensure progress is made on building a bridge for the future; eight, the removal of the restrictive order on the bridge so that immediate improvements can be made at both ends and, ninth, to provide money for a walkway for pedestrians at the back of the bridge as has been made on the Liffey. Many tourists visit that area of County Meath and if there were such a walkway pedestrians could walk freely at the back of the bridge at one side or the other.
I am confident that Mr. Michael Tobin of the NRA, with whom I spoke yesterday morning and who agreed to meet the county engineer, representatives of the new committee that was formed to protect the people who use this bridge at this blackspot, and local politicians, will agree to many of the suggestions made. I welcome the fact that the Minister said on radio this morning: "I am pleased to state that money will not be an object". This matter must be dealt with immediately.
I am disappointed the Minister is not present to deal with this issue. He knows I have been trying to raise it for the past few days. The area is in his constituency and I am sure he is, as I am, concerned for those who use this road every day.