Hundreds of people in a West Clare town are facing daily danger as they navigate an exceptionally busy stretch of road that has no pedestrian crossing.
Aontú Representative June Dillon says, “It is quite remarkable that safety concerns around the Cooraclare Road in Kilrush are not being addressed.
It is an incredibly busy road that serves a secondary school, the LCTEB Kirush Campus, two nursing homes, an ambulance base, sporting facilities, not to mention a number of very successful motor related businesses. There is also residential housing including a housing estate and is the road used to Cooraclare, Cree and North Clare.”
Kilrush Community School accommodates approximately 400 students and 50 staff members, with regular daily deliveries accessing the premises. Opposite the school, St. Patrick’s Terrace comprises 52 family residences, contributing to substantial daily vehicular movement as well as steady pedestrian activity. Additionally, the sports facilities, comprising of pitches, running track and astroturf, leads to increased traffic volume.
I find it staggering that in an area where many students, residents, elderly people, and visitors need to cross the road each day, there is currently no designated safe crossing for pedestrians. During busy periods—especially before and after school—students often try to navigate between moving vehicles, including cars and large trucks. This situation poses a genuine risk of serious accidents, due to limited visibility, high traffic speeds, and the presence of both vulnerable pedestrians and heavy vehicles.
The existing road infrastructure is clearly not up to scratch and does not adequately meet current requirements. The surface has experienced substantial degradation, with numerous potholes visible and many of the road markings—especially those related to safety—are significantly faded. Wheelchair/mobility scooter users dismount onto the road or cross the road at parts because the footpaths are not at ground level when crossing from one footpath to another. There is no doubt, but that serious further deterioration will take place considering the volume of traffic on this route, unless timely remedial action is taken.
Furthermore, the Cooraclare Road is a key route linking Kilrush to North Clare, meaning it carries both local and through traffic, compounding the risks. “As I stood discussing the matter with a local resident I was shocked at the wreckless high speed that a car drove past us and the resident said “that’s nothing new”.
With many schools, healthcare facilities, homes, businesses, and recreational spaces in close proximity, safety upgrades are urgently needed. After the general election last year (Jan 2025) I contacted Clare County Council to ask about traffic calming measures and followed up this month (March 2026) again.
The Council has responded that there is no funding available but you cannot put a price on peoples safety and the Cooraclare Road is a very high risk area. There is going to be additional traffic later this year with the Irish Open tournament coming to West Clare, along with the traffic that summer tourism brings The Council has to prioritise high risk areas.”
I am asking Clare County Council to carry out the following measures without any further delay. This is just too serious an issue to drag on.
Undertake a full assessment of the road condition in this area.
Resurface the roadway and repair existing damage.
Reinstate and enhance road markings.
Install a safe, clearly marked pedestrian crossing at an appropriate location.
Improve wheelchair accessibility of footpaths
Consider additional traffic calming measures.
Review overall pedestrian safety provisions, including signage and visibility.