Residents of Castletown Court, Cluain Lorchain and Clondone have expressed concern at how heavy goods vehicles are frequently using their estates to turn. Anger is also being felt about the council’s seemingly nonchalant response to their claims that the safety of children is being put at serious risk.

Councillor Úna D’Arcy contacted the council on behalf of residents requesting immediate attention and a review of local road safety measures. In response, the Council advised that this was “not a risk” – that lorries did not turn there often and that “businesses need to be allowed to do business”. Granted, but what about children having a right to play safely outside their homes?

As a number of photos circulated have shown, the lorries come within meters of front gardens and evidence of children at play is clear to see. Does a child need to be killed before our council will sit up and take notice and is it too much for the drivers themselves to recognise the danger of their manoeuvres and to turn away from residential areas?

A petition has been started to urge Westmeath County Council to review their position and you can find out more and sign that petition here.

Update: 11/08/206 – Statement from John McCormack, McCormack’s Stores

McCormacks Stores has a business only Facebook Page so cannot therefore view personal newsfeeds from other people. Yesterday morning, it was brought to my attention by a Facebook user that some of our delivery drivers are not being as considerate as they should be when accessing our yards and that there is discussion of this on-line.

I can assure our neighbours in the area that the welfare of every child is very important to me and this is a matter that I am taking very seriously.

Since the matter was brought to my attention, I have made contact with each of our suppliers to raise the issue with them. It is my intention that we will work with them to reduce the amount of traffic and to make the situation more tolerable until such time as a more definite and permanent solution can be identified and agreed. Naturally, Westmeath County Council will need to play a role in achieving this.

Please note that I do not use Facebook myself and that I was alarmed at the reports and the photos that were shared with me yesterday. I am grateful for the goodwill shown by the residents affected and I am more than happy to discuss the matter with individual residents in person. They can call in to the store or give me a call on 044 966 4124 at any time.