The widow of a man who died in a road crash has condemned as “just appalling” a Department of Transport proposal to remove roadside memorials.
Officials believe the tributes should be banned on motorways, dual carriageways, regional and local roads where the speed limit is above 60km/ph.
A spokesperson said existing memorials could remain, so long as they are not a “clear hazard to road users or interfere with maintenance activities”.
On Lunchtime Live, Park Road Safety Advocacy Group spokesperson Susan Gray said she was shocked when a journalist called her to ask for comment.
“You can imagine how I felt,” she said.
“I lost my husband in 2004 in Donegal and a year later, I went to the council, Donegal County Council.
“I told them that I'd like to put up a memorial in memory of Steve.
“They sent a representative out to the site where Steve died and went through all the regulations.
“It needed to be so far in from the road, it needed to be a certain height, width, everything.
“I abided by all that, and I have a lovely memorial there now for Steve.”
A member of An Garda Siochana places flowers near the scene of a crash. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov /RollingNews.ie.Ms Gray added that memorials are “such a comfort” to families and urged ministers in the Department of Transport to make a “strong statement” rejecting the proposal.
“Instruct the councils any memorials that's up that are abiding by the guidelines that they must be able to remain there,” she said.
“And in future, anybody that wants a memorial up, be very, very sensitive and use your compassion.”
A Garda checkpoint. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie,Also on the programme, Minister of State for Transport Seán Canney promised he would oppose the policy.
“I would say that my understanding, after making some checks this morning, in my Department is that there are no plans to remove existing [plaques] under this policy,” he said.
“And secondly, my understanding is the policy, which was put in place, leaves it to the local authorities to decide what their policy would be at local level.
“And I know myself that every plaque that has been put up has been put up in good faith by people who are mourning.”
Minister Canney added that he would talk to Darragh O’Brien in relation to the matter.
“Because I do believe we need to have consistency,” he said.
“We need to have taken into account the families who are grieving and this has been a source of comfort, as I say, to people.”
He added that he is fully aware that roadside memorials are a “comfort” and “precious memory” to bereaved families.
Main image: A radside memorial. Picture by: Alamy.com.
