Local people have renewed their calls for improvements to a road outside Belturbet, Co Cavan, following two more deaths at an accident black spot.
A father and daughter died in a collision with a lorry on Thursday evening in the area at Bunn, about one mile outside the town on the Cavan road.
This brings to five the number of deaths in that area in recent years. The accidents have all happened at a series of bad bends on the road. Cars are regularly pulled out of ditches in that area, according to Fine Gael councillor, Mr John Scott. He said people were extremely concerned about the increasing spate of accidents in recent years.
Gardaí in nearby Ballyconnell are seeking witnesses to the latest accident.
Ms Fiona Ronaghan (33), with an address in Teeboy, Co Fermanagh, and her father, Mr John Gilleece (60), from Kinawley, Co Fermanagh, died in the incident.
Their four-wheel drive vehicle was in collision with a lorry at Bunn, near Belturbet, at about 7.30 p.m.
Another woman in the vehicle was seriously injured and was taken to Cavan General Hospital.
The driver of the lorry was also taken to hospital but was not seriously injured. Gardaí have asked anyone travelling on the N3 at Bunn between 7.15 p.m. and 7.45 p.m. on Thursday evening and who may have seen anything to contact them on (049) 9525580.
Cllr Scott said that while there had been many accidents in recent years, this was a particularly bad one as it had claimed two lives. "There is an awful lot of concern about this stretch of road," he said.
"There are a few very bad bends in a row and cars can come in to the bends a bit too fast and then they end up in the ditch," he said. "There have been a lot of small accidents, as well as these more serious ones. I have raised this matter on a number of occasions but it seems to be a case of getting the funding together."
A bypass has been planned for Belturbet and that might alleviate the problem in the long run, he said. The town bypass is expected to begin in 2006.
However, Cllr Scott expressed concern about the potential for accidents in the meantime. "They have to take out a few bends in the road. That's a lot of fatalities in a small period of time. It's a well-known accident black spot at this stage."
