CROSSING: Parents, residents, Cllr Maura Healy-Rae, former principal of Fossa NS Pat Clifford and school children pictured in the Killarney Advertiser in January 2019 calling for safety measures outside Fossa NS.

By Sean Moriarty

A new pedestrian crossing at Fossa National School has moved a step closer to reality this week. Several campaigns have been organised by local residents and members of the school community to build the crossing near the school in the village.

Politicians have called for the installation of the crossing too, including separate deputations led by current Mayor Cllr Brendan Cronin, and Cllr Maura Healy-Rae.

It is almost two years since Cllr Healy-Rae led a deputation of residents to a Killarney Municipal District meeting where residents outlined fears that a child could be knocked down and killed in the village.

At last week’s KMD meeting she asked for the Council to provide an update on the project, which also includes a walking and cycling path.

The meeting was told that designs for the project were nearly finished.

Killarney area engineer, John Ahern, told the meeting: “The Feasibility Report for this project is being finalised in agreement with the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The design report has commenced.”

The next step is the planning permission process where details of the proposed design layout are published in local newspapers and members of the public will be invited to comment on the plans. This is scheduled for the end of March this year.