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Road collapse cuts children off from school 21.05.13

by Linda McGrory

MORE than 120 Carndonagh children have been cut off from their primary school after flooding caused a road to collapse leaving a 30-foot drop to the river below.
A large section of road at Craigtown, Carndonagh, crumbled on Saturday evening following a day of torrential rain.
The collapse has forced 126 pupils to undertake a three-mile detour on a narrow by-road to get to their desks at Craigtown National School.
The road at Craigtown, Carndonagh, that collapsed during Saturday's flooding cutting 126 children off from their school.
Local T.D., Charlie McConalogue has appealed to Donegal County Council to make emergency funding available to reconstruct the road.
"The damage to the road is of a very serious nature with flooding in the adjacent river tearing away the road and leaving a sheer embankment with a 30-foot drop to the river bank," said Deputy McConalogue.
"The alternative route to the school is very unsuited to two-way traffic and is not safe for the amount of traffic that is in the area at the start and finish of the school day."
School principal, Gerard O'Kane said he hoped the road would be restored as soon as possible.
"The torrential rain here on Saturday was unreal - it was relentless. As a result of the road collapsing, we're now having to do a detour every day to get to our school," said Mr O'Kane.
"But I think Donegal County Council is on top of the situation and they hope to get it fixed within a couple of weeks.
"In the meantime, I believe the council may have come to some arrangement with a local farmer regarding making a by-pass through his land while the road is being fixed."
Deputy McConalogue added: "I have been in touch with the council to press upon them the urgency of identifying funding for the work and of having reconstruction works initiated as soon as possible."
Donegal County Council today said in a statement: “A new road will have to be reconstructed along a 170m section in the vicinity of the collapse. This solution will also involve placing 2m high concrete gabions along this section of road to protect from further erosion.
“Donegal County Council is in contact with the relevant landowners in relation to facilitating these works. Works will start once agreements have been reached and materials sourced. In the interim Donegal County Council will patch up the diversion route being used by the school traffic.”
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