Featured photo: Local parent Martin Quigley at Dunkineely NS on Monday
Parents of schoolchildren at Dunkineely National School have taken matters into their own hands following a near-miss accident this month.
A number of children had a lucky escape in the village recently when a speeding truck hit a kerb while they were at a pedestrian crossing. This is said to be one of a number of similar incidents to have occurred at this location recently.
The incident has prompted parents and grandparents to stand out at school drop off and collection times to call on traffic to slow down.
Donegal Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty has called for urgent action: “Children and parents are taking their lives in their own hands by crossing the road and are traumatised by this latest incident.
“I believe urgent action needs to be taken to avoid a tragedy occurring in the future. I will be writing to the government to urge them to take action and provide assistance to the school as they seek solutions to this problem.”
Sinn Féin Councillor Noel Jordan added: “The N56 is a very busy road and measures that have been taken to slow traffic at this location are simply not working.
“It’s a disgrace that parents are concerned to such an extent that they have resorted to standing out on the road to slow traffic.
“There is currently a temporary Go Safe Zone implemented by the Gardaí at the location. As much as this is welcomed, if this is to be a long-term measure, the Gardaí need to be provided with the resources to manage this.
“The school has made it clear to me that the only solution to this problem is to provide space for children to be dropped off on the same side of the road to the school. They have also outlined to me how this could be achieved.
“Whatever assistance can be offered to the school by the Council and by governmental departments to make this happen should be afforded to them. The safety of children must be prioritised.”
