by Louise Doyle
AMBULANCES and other emergency services will not be prevented in the course of their line of duty during rally weekend, the latest Donegal Joint Policing Committee (JPC) has been told.
Plans are underway to ensure that there will be no blockades to emergency services during the popular annual sporting event next month.
Chairperson of Donegal JPC, Councillor Gerry McMonagle revealed meetings have been taking place with all stakeholders, the Chamber of Commerce and Donegal Motor Club to ensure safe pathways are in place for emergency services during the two-day event in June.
“There’s a lot of planning being done to make sure that it is a safe and successful rally,” said Cllr McMonagle.
“The stakeholders are all talking to one another. Gardaí and other emergency services are meeting outside of that as well to ensure that there are safe pathways for ambulances to access the hospital as soon as possible.”
Cllr McMonagle said representatives from St Eunan’s GAA, where camping facilities are held, have also attended the meetings. He said there was a responsibility among all involved to ensure a “tight ship” is run to ensure safety.
“It’s a busy weekend so there will be cars about and large swathes of people. There will be a massive influx of young people on that site, so it is important to know what the plans are and what is necessary to ensure that it is safe.
“Gardaí, the council and the emergency services will be working to ensure that roads are kept open.
“We are working with the Chamber of Commerce and looking at the organisation of events around it to try to make the event as smooth as possible, and ensure it is a safe rally and that everyone enjoys it.
“It’s a national event, what goes out of this county right across the globe in relation to the rally and programmes afterwards which are televised right around the world but at the same time there is an onus on all of us, gardaí, rally organisers to run as tight a ship as possible and overcome any difficulties that may arise.”
Cllr McMonagle admitted there are challenges, particularly around traffic volumes in Letterkenny.
“There is serious gridlock in Letterkenny, we are all aware of that. We’re working to try to address that in various ways.”
Garda Superintendent David Kelly said policing will focus greatly on day and night time economy.
“We have also met with local business groups.”
Supt. Kelly said Letterkenny has “changed immensely” geographically, and how this will impact is an “unknown factor”.
Concerns were raised over the Four Lane road.
“It’s a disaster to get around it, never mind on rally weekend,” said Cllr Donal Coyle.
“I don’t know where planning has gone wrong but anyone who lives adjacent to Letterkenny now has to plan their visit to Letterkenny because they don’t want to encounter peak traffic coming into town.”
Liam Ward, Director of Services, Donegal County Council, took on board concerns tabled regarding the Four Lane project, but added that the road has been designed and finished to national standard: “With reference to planning of the Four Lane, that road has been planned and delivered to the standard that has been laid down at national level. The planning of the road and the standards to which it is finished meets national standard. There are clearly issues when there is peak traffic but plans are being put in place for the rally weekend which will bring increased traffic to the town, and we will work as far as we can to ensure emergency vehicles are not inconvenienced to go about the job they have to do.”
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