No excuse for inaction on treacherous roads

I WRITE as an Irish citizen waiting at Shannon airport for my return flight to the US after what can only be described as a tough vacation, driven by the shocking lack of action from our local authorities to the freeze.

Reading Cork county manager Martin Riordan’s letter (December 30) sent me over the edge.

During our week’s vacation we saw not one gritter or council worker attending either to roads or pavement. While I accept that not every road can be done, that is not an excuse for doing nothing. The bad spots are known. We skidded off the roads twice ourselves, narrowly avoided a crash in front of us and watched countless people slip and fall. We tried to travel mostly national primary and secondary routes and they were neither gritted nor salted. What struck me most was that no one is vocal in complaining at this outrage.

Has the recession driven us to accept excuses like those from Mr Riordan? I should remind him that there is a link between mobility and the economy. Does he think we will return again next Christmas? The response to this crisis in a developed nation is an embarrassment. Before Mr Riordan feels the need to respond with more nonsense, he should take note that the last thing I did on my vacation was attend the funeral of Flor Crowley in Bandon – a great man, father and husband, with whom I studied accountancy in Cork in the late 1980s. May he rest in peace.

Shane Fitzsimons

Silver Hill Road

Easton

Connecticut 06612

USA