Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the Health Service Authority has not investigated the circumstances of a fatal accident (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the similarities to an accident in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19205/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The accidents with tragic consequences which Deputy Cowley refers to at Mulranny, County Mayo, where a young woman was killed, and more recently at Kentstown, County Meath, where five school girls lost their lives, were both road traffic accidents. As such, these accidents are primarily matters for the Garda Síochána to investigate. The remit of the Health and Safety Authority is confined to the investigation of occupational accidents.

In the case of the Mayo accident, I understand that the HSA has written to the family of the bereaved and explained why it is not carrying out an investigation. The HSA understands that where the accident took place, although there were ongoing road works being undertaken on a stretch of the road, the work on the section where the accident took place had been completed, even to the extent that lines had been marked on the road.

In the case of the tragic accident at Kentstown the investigation by the Health and Safety Authority is focused upon road works which were being undertaken in the immediate vicinity of the accident. Because this investigation is ongoing I am unable to make further comment at this time. However, I can confirm that the HSA has issued improvement and prohibition notices to Meath County Council in respect of the road works at Kentstown.