Fence canal before more lives are lost

More lives will be lost if the Ballyconnell/Ballinamore Canal is not fenced off warned Fianna Fáil Cllr. Sean Smith at the July meeting of Cavan County Council. Addressing the meeting, he said that the loss of three lives on the canal in recent years has provoked calls for the installation of a fence from the bridge along the premises to the rear of Main Street. Cllr. Smith said they could not stand idly by at this point and time with regard to the fence. "In the last three years there has been three drowning fatalities at this stretch of the canal." It was the council and Waterways Ireland's responsibility to save lives in Ballyconnell, he stated. "The council will have to address the problem because we cannot let the present position continue." The stretch requiring fencing is only about 100 metres in length, according to Cllr. Smith, and it would be a small price to pay if it saved lives, he added. The family of Dean McKiernan who tragically drowned at the location had been in touch with Cllr. Smith over the fence and they hopped that the death of their son would be last one on the Ballyconnell/Ballinamore Canal. Cllr. Peter McVitty said this had been an ongoing issue and there had been tragedies in that particular area. Gareth McGrath from Waterways Ireland and the County Manager have visited the scene. Waterways Ireland is trying to come up with a fence. "I hope it could be a joint venture between Waterways Ireland and the council." More and more people would be using the canal during the holidays pointed out Cllr. McVitty. "It is a very serious issue and I appeal to the council to address the problem sooner rather than later." Blacklion based Cllr. John Paul Feeley agreed that particular stretch of canal was extremely dangerous and they were talking about deep water. "I urge the council to act quickly on this matter." Newly elected Sinn Féin member Damien Brady said there were a number of entries from Main Street down to the canal and a fence was required to prevent such tragedies from happening again. As a fireman himself, the fire brigade had been called out to two fatalities on the canal. "There should be a joint effort between Waterways Ireland and the council to have a barrier erected as soon as possible." The fire brigade didn't want to be called out again to another fatality on the canal. Cllr. Maura Maguire-Lynch also supported the call for the fence. County Manager Jack Keyes acknowledged the concerns expressed by the members. "We have been in touch with Waterways Ireland and we are trying to establish responsibility on the matter." He agreed they could not fence off the entire canal but "we have to act and act quickly on this".