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

I raise serious road safety issues on the N22 primary road leading into Killarney. I will start with an issue in Glenflesk village located on the N22. On dark Saturday nights, people attending a church located at the junction of the R570 and N22 must manoeuvre back and forth across a road that traffic may travel along at 100 km/h. I ask the Minister to take note of the points I raise and bring them speedily to the attention of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I have been raising these issues in Kerry County Council since 2009. I tabled motions in the council and led deputations on this issue in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 and since then, my daughter, Councillor Maura Healy-Rae, and other members of the council have tabled numerous other motions on this issue.

Recently, a lovely, beautiful young girl was tragically killed crossing the N22 at Glenflesk. Fr. George Hayes, the Garda, local people and people from neighbouring parishes are asking that the speed limit be reduced from 100 km/h to 60 km/h at Glenflesk. I do not have anything against people in Lissarda or County Cork in general but a 60 km/h limit applies on the same road at Lissarda.

Five fatalities have occurred at a dangerous bend at Rusheen Beg, which is down the road from Glenflesk. We ask that the camber of the road be examined to identify what is wrong at this location because there have been crashes and fatalities involving traffic travelling in both directions. We also ask that a crash barrier be erected at his point to prevent cars from crossing the verge where the two most recent fatalities occurred. We ask that a speed limit be applied on the stretch of road from Lissivigeen Roundabout to the bottom of Pike Hill. Tragedies, including one fatality and many serious injuries, have occurred at a junction on this stretch road of leading up to the lough.

We ask that rumble strips and public lighting be installed at Poll Gorm bridge, another junction on the Cork side of Glenflesk where many serious accidents have taken in place. My brother and I were nearly blown into oblivion one night when we were hit from behind because there is no lighting at this dark and dangerous junction.

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