Families meeting with Oireachtas committee branded ‘a shambles’

Families meeting with Oireachtas committee branded ‘a shambles’


Anton McNulty

A MEETING of the Oireactas sub-committee on Transport with the families of three women who died in traffic accidents was described as a ‘shambles’ and ‘a waste of time’ with the committee chairman, Frank Fahey accused of not showing any interest in what the families had to say.
The three families, which included members of the Gallagher family from Achill, were before the committee to outline their views with regard to the three tragedies. The families feel road conditions were a contributory factor in the road accidents. The meeting with the Oireachtas meeting followed recommendations made by the EU Petitions Committee to have the facts heard by the committee.
The families had informed the Committee that no Government department was taking responsibility for the investigation of accidents, but Deputy Fahey did not take this on board and proceeded to call the session to an end without affording the families an opportunity to present submissions to the Committee on actions that the Committee could recommend to the Government.
Deputy Fahey explained that he was closing the meeting to take part in a DΡil vote and said  he would not adjourn the meeting to a later date.
Tommy Gallgher from Achill, whose daughter Aisling died in a traffic accident near Mulranny in 2004, said that Deputy Fahey had shown no interest in what they had to say and Mr Gallagher lamented the fact that only four members of the 15 member committee had stayed to hear what they said.
“The reception we got from the DΡil committee compared to the interest we were shown in Brussels was like from two different planets. Fahey had no interest whatsoever in what we had to say. If he had said they were helpless in doing anything we may have accepted it but he did a pure politician’s manoeuvre by trying to buy time and hope it will go away for him. But it won’t go away. What I would like to see is the same level of interest shown in the DΡil as was shown in Brussels and if that happens we would reduce road deaths even further,” he told The Mayo News.
Mayo MEP, Jim Higgins said he was very disappointed with the hearing given to the families last week and said Deputy Fahey listened to them in ‘an apathetic manner’.
“The European Parliament’s Committee treated the families with respect, courtesy, and actively listened to their presentations and recommendations. Frank Fahey’s committee didn’t have the time to listen to the recommendations of the families. We need a public inquiry into the accountability and responsibility for Irish roads, at present no government department takes responsibility for the investigations of accidents,” he said.