Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the officials for coming before the committee and for their presentation which is very important. I also thank them for all of the great work they are doing. I need to highlight a few things that need to be done in the vicinity of Killarney and the national park.

While the national park in Killarney is a massive attraction for the town, Kerry and the whole south of Ireland, there are issues which must be dealt with. The primary issue is one of access. Traffic queues and jams going through Killarney is a big issue. I ask that the officials here would liaise with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, because as it stands the only access to the park out the Muckross Road is through the town. There is no need for that to continue and I do not think it will. Cars are parked on the national secondary road, starting at Kenmare Place in Killarney all the way out the Muckross Road, day in, day out, coming in and going out. People from around the country, whether Limerick, Cork or elsewhere, must go halfway around Killarney town. It is a major obstacle. I fear that people will think it is not worthwhile to continue to Muckross House or out to the national park if they meet this blockage every time they try to go out there. We ask that there be liaison with TII and that the link road or bypass, which was supposed to go ahead in 2004, be followed through, and that a road be built from Lissivigeen to Castlelough in Muckross. I am highlighting this today because it has been put to me at various forums over the years I have represented the people of Killarney and south Kerry. It is a major obstacle which needs to be addressed. It must be taken on board by the highest level of Government.

While we are talking about roads, the issue of deer arises. At this stage they are everywhere but the biggest numbers are in the national park. There have been serious accidents at Ballydowney to the west of Killarney. They are coming into the Demesne in Killarney town. People are afraid of stags. I have nothing against deer but there needs to be some way of ensuring that people who travel on our roads are safe. We know that a woman with three young children was killed at Ballydowney because she swerved to avoid a deer. That cannot and should not be allowed to be repeated. I called in the Dáil Chamber for the Army to undertake a cull, but there are other ways too. In Canada and other places, perhaps in the Baltic countries, there is a system where if an animal is coming on to the road, that a sensor picks it up and a light will flash to alert any oncoming motorists. I have not done any research on that but the facility is there. Killarney is surrounded by deer. Some 18,600 vehicles go through that road daily, which is only one part of the town, and people's lives are being jeopardised. I am asking for the officials' help to address this issue.

More funding is needed for the repair of paths in the vicinity of Muckross House. The width and capacity of the paths need to be increased. A growing number of cyclists and walkers are using these paths, which is laudable, but they do not have the capacity. People have had near misses with bicycles hitting off walkers and children, for instance. It is an issue that must be addressed.

There is an old road, the Mangerton Road, which needs urgent attention. The potholes are as big as -----