This article is from page 6 of the 2006-05-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
DRASTIC traffic calming measures are to be introduced in a Clarecastle estate to curb mounting traffic problems in the area.
Temporary speed ramps are to be installed in St Joseph’s terrace after a petition containing 100 signatures from residents in the area was presented to council officals. Locals are said to be very concerned that the estate had become a “rat run” for traffic avoiding delays on the N18.
Councillors had originally wanted to install two permanent ramps in the area but agreed a temporary solution after Hugh McGrath, senior execuCALLS were made by a Clare TD at the weekend’s Fine Gael Árd Fheis to liberalise the Irish insurance market by allowing EU-based competitors greater freedom.
Speaking on a motion proposed by the Sandymount, Dublin, branch of Fine Gael, Clare Deputy, Pat Breen, tive engineer, expressed reservations about such a course of action.
The petition was presented by Cllr Joe Carey (FG) at yesterday’s Committee Meeting for the Ennis Electoral Area. Cllr Carey’s motion called on the council to urgently provide speed ramps as the heavy volume of traffic using the road posed a definite risk to children living in the area.
Cllr Carey said residents’ concerns had been ignored for too long and that urgent action was needed.
“There is potential there for a serious accident,” he said. “I know that this is tied up with the bypass being finished, but I don’t want to be the one explaining to parents that said that in a market such as Ireland’s, the insurance industry was relatively small and despite a lowering of prices in recent times, many analysts felt there was room for improvement.
“A small market restricts choice and leads to high prices. In any survey comparing profits, Irish insurers always come out better than insurance companies, for instance, in the ramps didn’t go in because the bypass wasn’t finished. Clare County Council must deliver speed ramps to the people of Clarecastle. It’s like a rally circuit down there at eight in the morning.”
Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) supported Cllr Carey’s call, saying other forms of traffic management had a negligible effect on speeding.
“I’m living in an area where there were traffic calming measures imposed and you might as well have been lighting candles. If residents want that, then we should accept it.”
Mr McGrath said he was against the idea as speed ramps represented a last resort. “Speed ramps are the very UK market.
“In one notable survey by the Motor Insurance Advisory Board, it found that motor insurers in Ireland reported 11 times the profit earned by their UK counterparts between 1983 and 1999,” he said.
Deputy Breen, his party’s spokesman on small business, added that he received many queries from young last option on a list of traffic calming measures. We would conduct a traffic flow survey of the area to assess its needs. Lighting and signage are far more effective. Ramps have a detrimental look, feel and sound.”
There were some heated exchanges over the issue. When Mr McGrath asked whether councillors now determined engineering policy for Clare County Council, Cllr Brennan replied that as elected officials, wanted their decisions carried out.
Tom Coughlan, director of services, intervened and proposed a compromise. “There has never been a vote at an Ennis Electoral meeting. We could put in temporary ramps.” people in particular who are frustrated at the prohibitive cost of motor insurance.
“I feel that new entrants would encourage more attractive packages for such people,” he said.
He pointed out that if the Irish insurance market was healthy and competitive as was often claimed by the industry here, then they have nothing to fear from competition.
“In the same way that entrants such as the Bank of Scotland are shaking up the mortgage market, I feel the entrance of new insurers to the market would have a positive effect for consumers.
“If Ireland is to shake off its ripoff image then the underlying reality has to be tackled. It’s not just about marketing the image but tackling the cause,” he said.
Deputy Breen said afterwards that any person unable to get a quotation for motor insurance could contact the Insurance Information Service (016761914) who would assist them and arrange for their case to be considered under the terms of the Declined Cases Agreement.
Among the other Clare Fine Gael members who attended the weekend Ard Fheis for a special meeting of the party’s councillors were cllrs Madeleine Taylor Quinn, John Crowe, Martin Conway, John ‘Mashen’ McInerney, Oliver Garry, and Joe Cooney. Councillor Crowe missed by one vote being elected to the executive committee of Fine Gael councillors.