Safety near schools raised at Kildare County Council meeting

The safety of children attending school in one County Kildare area has been emphasised by a number of councillors to Kildare County Council (KCC). 

The issue was raised at the latest Clane-Maynooth Municipal District meeting, which took place on Friday, October 4 last.

At the meeting, Fine Gael Cllr Tim Durkan asked KCC: "Can the council provide an updated and progress report on the improvement works planned for the Celbridge Road, Maynooth?"

KCC told him via its report at the meeting: "Atkins Consulting Engineers have been appointed to progress the preliminary and detailed design of the Celbridge Road Active Travel Improvement Scheme."

"It is anticipated that a preliminary design report will be complete in early 2025, with a Part 8 approval process to follow," KCC added.

Commenting further on his question, Cllr Durkan told KCC: "I have raised this matter through similar past motions around 50 times since 2014."

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He further said: "The Celbridge Road seems to be in the backseat in terms of priorities.

"I have seen this response before... I accept that this is more to do with a national organisation, but what guarantee have we got that it is actually going to happen?"

A representative of KCC who was present at the meeting said that they acknowledged Cllr Durkan's comments, but stressed: "We are very much relying on the National Transport Authority (NTA)."

They also told Cllr Durkan: "There was an NTA meeting on Monday (September 30 last), so hopefully the matter is on their radar."

Cathaoirleach of the MD, Fianna Fáil Cllr Naoise Ó Cearúil, also publicly acknowledged the number of people in the public gallery of the Council Chamber, who are connected to Scoil Uí Fhiaich and Maynooth Educate Together School, both of which are situated on the Celbridge Road.