A Fianna Fáil TD has called for a public inquiry into safety levels at the 4.5 metre Piltown-Fiddown by-pass in Co Kilkenny, where four people have been killed in separate accidents since it opened in January 2002.
The latest death on what is part of the N25 occurred last Friday when 56-year-old Mrs Celine Kennedy of Whitechurch, Piltown, was killed instantly while she was exiting the new road.
Mrs Kennedy, and three others, have lost their lives trying to access the new road at right hand junctions in the last 2½ years. All the accidents occurred during daylight hours.
A man has been charged with dangerous driving in connection with Mrs Kennedy's death at 9.25 a.m on June 18th.
On March 2nd, 2002, Mrs Kathleen Walsh (82), Carrick-on-Suir died on the same by-pass. On August 19th, 2002, motorcyclist, Mr John Gough (21), of Portlaw, Co Waterford, was killed and on January 16th last Mr John Falconer, (74), of Piltown was killed in the same area.
Local Fianna Fáil TD, Mr John McGuinness, yesterday called for a public inquiry into the construction of the road and its safety.
"It is just too much of a coincidence, for my liking, that there have been four deaths on one short stretch of road," he said.
Residents in the Piltown-Fiddown region are writing to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, claiming that the National Roads Authority and Kilkenny Co Council have been arrogant in the way they have dealt with them.
This has been strongly denied by both the NRA and Kilkenny County Council.
The residents' main gripes are that 11 right-hand turns on the road should be properly marked, and that ghost islands should be placed at each turn-off.
"Four years ago we told them that deaths would follow if these safety features were not put in," according to local resident, Mr Séamus Norris.
The NRA said, following investigations, it had concluded that the lack of ghost islands was not a "significant" contributory factor in the accidents. It added that the road was built to applicable design standards.
Kilkenny County Council said the road was designed in accordance with the prescribed standards set down by the NRA.
It said traffic volumes did not warrant the provision of ghost islands as dictated by NRA standards.
NRA spokesman, Mr Michael Egan, said the matter was by no means at an end and the authority would continue to review the situation.
He said the NRA will be talking to the Garda and the council in the coming weeks to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the latest fatal accident and if extra safety measures are needed.
A senior garda said officers are concerned for the safety of road users following the latest accident on the by-pass.