Aontú Clare representative June Dillon has called for urgent intervention at the notorious Darragh blackspit on the N68 following yet another road traffic collision at the weekend.
Emergency services were once again called to the scene on yesterday afternoon (Sunday) after a two-car collision occurred on the busy Ennis to Kilrush route, a location that local residents and road users have repeatedly identified as one of the most dangerous stretches of road in County Clare.
While thankfully no serious injuries were reported on this occasion, Ms Dillon has warned that Clare cannot continue to rely on good fortune.
“The people of West Clare have had enough of excuses and endless discussions. Every time another collision occurs at Darragh, families are left asking the same question: how many more accidents must happen before meaningful action is taken?” she said.
The latest incident comes after months of engagement between Clare County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) regarding safety concerns at the location. The area, situated outside a busy petrol station and commercial premises, experiences significant traffic movements daily, with motorists entering and exiting the N68 while commuters, delivery vehicles and local traffic navigate one of the county’s busiest regional corridors.
“Residents have been raising concerns about this location for years. Councillors have raised motions. The Council has acknowledged the problem. TII is aware of the problem. Yet the accidents continue. The reality is that local people now view another collision at Darragh not as a surprise but as an inevitability.”
Dillon said that while emergency personnel once again demonstrated tremendous professionalism in dealing with Sunday’s incident, the focus must now shift from responding to collisions to preventing them.
“Our ambulance crews, firefighters and Gardaí should not have to keep returning to the same stretch of road because authorities have failed to address a known hazard. Their dedication is beyond question, but they should not be repeatedly placed in the position of managing avoidable incidents at a location that has long been recognised as dangerous.”
The Aontú representative is now calling for immediate publication of a timeline for safety improvements and for all available interim traffic-calming and road-safety measures to be considered without delay.
“Road safety is not a luxury. It is a basic responsibility. The people who travel this road every day to work, to school, to medical appointments and to visit family deserve to know that their safety is being treated as a priority.”
“Thankfully this latest collision did not result in a tragedy. But we cannot continue to gamble with people’s lives. The warning signs have been there for years. The evidence is there. The accidents are there. What is needed now is action.”
Dillon concluded by urging Clare County Council and TII to treat the matter with the urgency it deserves before a more serious incident occurs.
“Nobody wants to be standing at this location after a fatal collision asking why nothing was done when there was still time to act.”