Parents furious after lollipop person relocated to another school
Parents in Dunshaughlin are furious that Meath County Council has taken away their school safety warden for a 10 week period - and relocated her to St Seachnaill's National School in the village.
They say the road outside the Gaelscoil is extremely dangerous, with a sharp bend just before the zebra crossing for the school.
Parents said they are extremely worried about the safety of their children and cannot understand how the council can move a safety warden to one school at the expense of another.
Anne-Marie Delaney described the move as "outrageous."
"How can Meath County Council prioritise one group of children over another. It is unacceptable. There are around 200 pupils in the Gaelscoil and they won't have a safety warden for 10 weeks.
"There is a zebra crossing, but there is a sharp bend before it and cars just fly along that road. It is a busy road with traffic coming off the motorway."
Niamh Cullen said parent received very little notice. It was note in a little box in the school newsletter.
"It is a serious health and safety issue. The council would probably say that the road outside St Seachnaill's is busier, but I live on the Drumree road and it is very busy. You have trucks driving off the motorway on it.
"These dark winter mornings with fog and rain, crossing the road is very dangerous. Traffic often doesn't stop at the zebra crosssing. That would never happen when the lollipop woman is there."
Emma Keane, who bring her own three children and her neighbours two to the school in the morning said she is petrified crossing the road.
"It is really dangerous. I don't understand how they can do this - take the warden from one school and give it to the other.
"There are signialised crossings on the main street serving St Seachnaill's."
A spokesperson for Meath County Council said the school warden has been temporarily re-deployed from the Gaelscoil to St Seachnall’s for a period of 10 weeks, with five weeks now remaining. The warden will return to the Gaelscoil at the end of this period. Meath County Council’s Road Safety Officer is available to the Gaelscoil to assist with road safety awareness and education requirements.