Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this issue. Ballymaquirk junction is on the N72 between Mallow and Killarney. It is extremely dangerous and there have been numerous accidents there, right up to recent weeks. The road is a major artery for people coming from Kanturk and the Duhallow region, including western Duhallow, the area right up to Rockchapel, Newmarket, Meelin and the area heading towards Cork. The issue is crossing the Mallow–Killarney road to the Banteer Road, which extends to Nad and Cork. Those with local knowledge are fully aware of the importance of the junction, its danger and what needs to be done there. Last year Councillor Bernard Moynihan produced a number of petitions on the junction and obtained over 4,000 signatures. As anyone in public life knows, that is not an easy number of signatures to obtain. It indicates the importance of the issue, including to local people.

The matter has gone to Cork County Council, which has carried out a feasibility study or prepared a road safety remedial scheme report for the Department and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. The council has been working to try to resolve the issue. Since the N72 is a national secondary route, funding would have to come from TII. It is critical that safety measures be implemented immediately at the junction. There is a lot of talk about what should be put in place. What are the plans of TII for the junction, and what is the timeframe? We do not want any delays. The junction has been identified as dangerous. It has been identified as such by the local authority, the Department and TII. It affects the locals from Duhallow and right across the region, whether they are turning towards Banteer from the Mallow-Killarney road, crossing the junction from the Kanturk side, or going the other way, from the Banteer side towards Kanturk. There is a significant volume of traffic at the junction going towards Cork city, especially between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 4.30 p.m. and perhaps 7 p.m. A high volume of traffic crosses with no safety procedures whatsoever.

It is extremely important to address this. I hope TII and the Department will take the matter as seriously as the people within the Duhallow region and north Cork because we need an answer. I understand that a proposal has been made to TII by senior executive engineers from Cork County Council. I understand it has been accepted by the latter and that it has accepted there is a safety issue. There are all kinds of road safety plans but this is one of the key issues in north Cork and the Duhallow region. It behoves the Department and Minister to step up to the plate and ensure there is funding for the works to be done as soon as possible. Has the Department accepted the county council's report? What is envisaged? When will the paperwork be done regarding Part 8 and so forth to ensure this dangerous black spot is eliminated?

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