Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is some positive news and some not so good news. I welcome the fact that some safety works are to be carried out east of Tulsk and Frenchpark. I have no doubt that this work needs to be done.

The Minister seems to be well apprised on the route. I welcome that. He and his officials have done their work on it. I must state again, however, that the problem starts in Termonbarry village just as one crosses the River Shannon from Longford into Roscommon. That area has grown considerably in recent years. It is a very busy village. In general, the traffic obeys the rules but a significant amount of traffic, particularly lorries, is flying through the village. People are very afraid of serious accidents, even death. There have been some accidents there.

Let me move on to Scramoge Cross, that well known landmark. It has to be on the Garda records that there are weekly incidents there. Traffic coming off the regional roads creates issues as it crosses over the N5. There have been people injured. As the Minister was speaking, I could recall at least 20 people who lost their lives along that route over 20 years. The number is probably higher. It is a significant loss of life.

While I welcome what the Minister said in regard to some of the works to be carried out, I ask him and his officials — I will take this up with Roscommon County Council — to re-examine Scramoge Cross and Tulsk village, a very fast-growing village with a school in the middle. Issues also arise outside Strokestown.

Flashing lights have been erected along the route where there are very acute bends. I am sure the Minister is aware of them. The lights indicate to motorists that they should slow down or drive go mall. They are very cheap to install, costing approximately €11,000. If we could agree to install more of these lights in the short term, it would be beneficial. Where they have been installed, the number of accidents has been reduced. They definitely make motorists more aware. I am sure the Acting Chairman, Deputy Bernard Durkan, has seen these lights operating. In the interest of safety and saving lives, I ask the Minister to re-examine the route in question. I invite him to visit some day with me. It will take him an hour to go along the stretch of road I am talking about. He will get there from Dublin in an hour and a half and will be back in Dublin in another hour and a half. He should come and enjoy the nice, warm atmosphere in Scramoge in County Roscommon and have a look at the route himself.

See this speech in context