Road safety on agenda as councillor takes up reins as leader of Limerick's county town

FINE Gael councillor Liam Galvin has pledged to put road safety at the heart of his year as leader of the Newcastle West municipal district.

The Abbeyfeale man, a farmer by trade, was elected into the position by the other five members of the area following their annual general meeting.

This took place at the council’s offices at Áras William Smith O'Brien on the edge of Newcastle West town, with Mayor John Moran also in attendance.

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Cllr Galvin, returned for a fifth term on the council, said he had to stop canvassing in certain areas of his constituency during the campaign due to the sheer danger presented to him on the carriageway.

He cited the Newcastle West-Dromcollogher Road, the Abbeyfeale-Listowel Road, plus the road linking Athea and Carrigkerry.
“In fairness to people who live on these roads, the speed is frightening. For some reason, we have lost control of it,” Cllr Galvin said.

A former mayor himself, the councillor will seek meetings with the current first citizen, John Moran, to ask that Go Safe vans can be pushed for, and placed in strategic locations along roads in the district.

“To me, as a local authority, particularly during the winter period, we do not deal with our roads. It’s something which needs to be addressed and I’ll ensure the new mayor attends to this,” said the district leader.

He also says he wants to see the current timeframe for chopping hedgerows reduced.

“We have failed miserably on this. There are roads I am travelling and they're not suitable to carry a pram on, never mind a motor car,” Cllr Galvin said.

“If we are on about the safety of people - pedestrians walking our roads, the people using the e-scooters, the people using the bicycles, the traffic - you cannot keep a wing mirror on your lorry due to hedgerows growing.”

He praised the farming community who do their best to address this issue - however, he also acknowledged that there are some who do not.

“I’m going to look for the local authority to change the legislation where the local authority goes out, cuts the hedges and bills the landowner,” he said.

The Abbeyfeale man will also write to Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to press him to review the disadvantaged farming map in Ireland.

He believes there needs to be more support brought to farmers to keep agriculture alive in west Limerick.

Cllr John Sheahan was elected deputy chair.