Cllr highlights road safety after near-miss at Oldcastle school

Following a recent incident in which a child was nearly hit by a car outside the Gilson School in Oldcastle, Cllr Catherine Yore said she is appalled at the safety shortfalls on Meath's roads. The Fine Gael north Meath councillor said it was "an act of God" that the child wasn't killed in the recent incident. "There is a housing estate located directly opposite the school. That stretch of the road is busy with traffic, and I shudder to think what could have happened," she said. Cllr Yore said she was gravely concerned at the lack of road safety infrastructure at Meath schools, and in particular, pedestrian crossings. "Road safety is not up to standard in many areas in the county. Basic road safety is what our children need and deserve," she added. She pointed out that, since she was elected in this year's local elections in June, she has fought for basic road safety measures such as pedestrian crossings and lollipop persons to help children cross busy roadways. She said she personally sees these road safety problems on a daily basis outside the school where she teaches at Whitecross, Julianstown. "Although I recognise there are lights in Julianstown, the harsh reality is that they aren't always working efficiently. Just last week, these exact lights failed to work. How do parents feel confident letting their children walk to school knowing this?" she asked. Cllr Yore said she accepted that funding to Meath County Council had been cut by central government. She said cuts were imminent in all departments, but she urged Environment & Local Government Minister John Gormley to reconsider the level of cutbacks for the county. "Meath is a county with 180,000 people. At present, it is only receiving 60 per cent per capita funding. A predicated outcome from this incompetent Government is a further cut of 45 per cent per capita." The Carnaross councillor said that while cutbacks were needed, it was important to have transparent reform and accountability on all funding. "Safety provisions for our children should not suffer, considering neither they nor their parents were the ones who instigated the wasteful mismanagement of monies," she added.