Complaints over carnival danger beside Gaelscoil

On Tuesday, as she collected her son, Joanne Hinsley from Ballycasey said that safety had been compromised.
“It’s just about health and safety. It’s so dangerous. We’ve got the playground here, the school beside it, there are cars coming in all the time and when the carnival is here there are trucks and lorries. That one of them would knock over a child is my biggest concern.”
She said this wasn’t the first time the arrival of a carnival had caused problems and they had been very disappointed to see the problem arriving again this year.
“We were all angry last year but no one seemed to do anything. This year, when we saw it coming back again it was different. The circus was over behind the Comp and we thought, great, it won’t be here anymore.
“Then when the carnival came in the other day we couldn’t believe it. No matter how many times you tell them, the kids will come out and have a look. There’s the noise of the carnival too, although they don’t operate during the day.”
Mother Irene Devitt felt that more should be done to ensure the pupil’s safety. “It’s public car parking and it’s for the playground as well  but there should be parking provided for parents because someone could get injured.
“A lot of the other schools in Shannon have a lollipop lady and it’s such a busy road in front of the school.”
There is a fundamental and obvious problem with where the carnival is located, Mother Helena Keyes claimed. “Who puts a carnival between a school and playground?” she said.
Ms Keyes said that there are more suitable areas or times for the carnival. “Parkview Rangers took the circus last year but nothing was done about the carnival and this is our third year protesting about it being here.
“Last year it was just ignored. This time we’re arranging a meeting with the Town Clerk and the Mayor. They need to go away and find another place, or have the carnival in July and August, when there’s no school, or during the Easter holidays. It doesn’t need to be here in May.”
She said that some solution has to be found. “We’re not letting it happen again. We want something done this time.”
Mayor of Shannon Sean McLoughlin said that representatives of the Town Council would be available to meet with parents about their concerns.