“Castleknock GAA is a credit to the community and it has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Having campaigned hard with Peggy Hamill, my Labour Party colleague, to secure playing fields for the Castleknock Hurling & Football club, I am delighted that the facility is now ready for use.
“Through no fault of the club, however, there is one small cloud hanging over the opening of the new facility.
“With the launch of such a facility, I would have thought that Fingal County Council would have upgraded roads in the surrounding area so that club members and visitors are not taking their lives in their hands every time they use the club facilities. This is of particular salience given that there is no public transport serving the club.
“A cursory trip down towards the Castleknock Hotel and Porterstown will demonstrate the road safety issues for anyone trying to access either the hotel or the new Club, when it is finished. It really is an accident waiting to happen and several local parents and club members have been in touch with me to raise the issue.
“This is not the first time this area has seen child safety put at risk because one hand at the council doesn’t know what the other hand is doing. Just up the Porterstown road, not far from Castleknock GAA’s new pitches, Scoil Choilm was built with little thought given to the dangers posed to schoolchildren at both Scoil Choilm and St. Mochta’s from increased traffic on the Porterstown Road at school opening and closing times.
“Everyone understands that money is tight for the council as Fianna Fail’s recession bites harder. What people will not accept is the safety of our young people being put in jeopardy because the Council is cutting corners. Safety must be our number one priority, and I would call on the Council to implement immediately the necessary safety measures.
“I have written to the Transportation department at Fingal County Council asking that measures be put in place to ensure the safety of all road users in the area while maintaining the integrity of the area in its proximity to the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area.”
Please see below Deputy Burton’s letter to Fingal County Council
Michael Lorigan,
Director of Services for Transportation,
Fingal County Council,
Blanchardstown Town centre,
Dublin 15.
6th November 2009
Dear Mick,
I have been approached by a number of people who would like to know what plans are in place to improve road safety in the vicinity of the new Castleknock Hurling and Football Club in Somerton.
As you are aware, the local GAA Club – Castleknock Hurling and Football Club is almost ready to start using the new facility in Somerton. Whilst this is tremendous news for the club, concerns are being expressed about the potential danger to users of the new GAA club in terms of access by car, on foot, and by bicycle as there is no public transport serving this area.
A cursory trip down towards the Castleknock Hotel and Porterstown will demonstrate the road safety issues for anyone trying to access either the hotel or the new Club, when it is finished. Mindful of the fact that the proposed entrance is on a substandard road, as Somerton Road has been described by the Council, en route to a Special Amenity Area, the Strawberry Beds, road safety is a major concern to the residents in the area and the Club members.
I would appreciate if you could let me know what measures the Council will be putting in place to ensure the safety of all road users in the area while maintaining the integrity of the area in its proximity to the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area.
Yours sincerely,
Joan Burton TD.
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.