Taoiseach in plea to drivers as road carnage continues

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today said he hoped the sad results of fatal road accidents would have an effect on the psyche of communities around the country.

Mr Ahern urged people to show caution behind the wheel as the road death toll continued to rise.

Two accidents in counties Kilkenny and Limerick claimed the lives of three young teenage girls over the weekend.

A 20-year-old man was killed in a separate early morning crash in Limerick, and a motorcyclist lost his life in a collision in Gorey.

As the country’s death toll climbed to over 220 so far this year, Mr Ahern said: “It is like all of the accidents, they are all horrific and they are all very sad stories for the families, for friends and for communities.

“And all we can continue to do is to urge people to show caution.”

Mr Ahern said he was aware it was high summer with a lot of traffic on the roads.

“I am conscious that there are two million vehicles out there very day and people just have to give themselves a bit more time, slow down a bit and just take it easy,” he said.

“None of these accidents make anyone (anything) other than very sad, and I hope that just gets to through to the psyche of the community.

“The people who can do something about it, to be frank with you, are the people who are driving cars every day.”

Gardaí named the 14-year-old girl killed in a traffic collision in Co Kilkenny as Catherine Doyle of Mile Post, Slieverue in the county.

She died after the car in which she was a front-seat passenger collided with a wall on Saturday evening.

Gardaí at Thomastown are investigating the crash which took place shortly after 8pm at Lismateige, Hugginstown, Co Kilkenny.

Investigating officers have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

Another 15-year-old girl died in hospital today after a separate collision in Galbally, Co Limerick on Saturday.

She was taken to Limerick Regional Hospital following the single vehicle collision at Killinane, Galbally, Co Limerick. The 15-year-old, who was a rear seat passenger in the car, died of her injuries early today.

The single vehicle crash had already claimed the life of another 15-year-old, Leanne Miller of Kilteely, Limerick, who died at the scene.

The car in which the young girls were travelling in on the R513 at Killinane collided with a ditch at around 00.50am yesterday.

Another accident early today in Limerick claimed the life of a 20-year-old man who was driving a van at Tournafulla at around 5am when it happened.

A male motorcyclist in his 20s died following a collision with a car on the Arklow Road in Gorey.

Gardaí in Gorey are investigating the crash which happened around 7am on the N11 road.