Roads, their uses and abuses, are a continuous concern for the regional newspapers. The Kerryman devotes its editorial to the matter with the comment: "The Government appears to be hell-bent on chasing down any issue on road safety that doesn't relate directly to the performance of its own agencies.
"This was demonstrated this week when Environment Minister Noel Dempsey announced that he was asking a `high-level' committee to consider banning the use of mobile phones by drivers."
The editorial goes on: "We are plagued by bad roads which, apart from the damage and discomfort they cause, undoubtedly contribute to very many tragic traffic accidents."
The Westmeath Examiner devotes more than half its front page to the roads question. The main report, by Liam Sherlock and Sharon Newman, says: "Heavy goods vehicles seeking to avoid toll charges on the planned M4 Kinnegad-Enfield-Kilcock motorway by sticking to the existing N4 and speeding at off-peak hours could lead to a major increase in traffic accidents, it was claimed at an oral hearing into the M4 Draft Scheme held in Mullingar.
"Many motorists commuting regularly from Mullingar to Dublin will be caught in the charges trap," the paper says.
The Western People takes up the theme: "The admission by the Minister for Education, Dr Michael Woods, that the condition of roads in Mayo was responsible for many school bus breakdowns has been described by Mr Michael Holmes [chairman of the Western Roads Action Committee - WRAC] as a "shocking indictment of the Government and particularly the Department of the Environment."
In the same paper, the chairman of Mayo County Council, Mr Jimmy Moloney, is critical of the WRAC, accusing it of "hypocrisy" in regard to the construction of roads by "putting obstacles in the way of the road design personnel who were seeking to acquire properties for major roadworks on the N5 and at Carrentrilla between Swinford and Ballina."
THE Western People and the Mayo News both report the Government decision to locate the "new public-sector agency to be set up to deliver the country's driver-testing service."
The Mayo News says: "It is hoped that the new agency will cut the lengthy waiting time faced by tens of thousands of provisional licence-holders. The decision to create a Driver Testing Agency was taken by the Government following last year's highly critical report from the Comptroller and Auditor General."
The Limerick Leader gives front-page coverage to the death of a young man in a road accident. Norma Prendiville reports: "Limerick roads have claimed their 15th victim this year, following the death of a . . . 20-year-old man."
The Leitrim Observer carries a frontpage colour picture of "the battered remains of [a] truck which crashed into the wall of a church". The report says: "Arigna residents have called for the fast-tracking of work to re-route two of the village's roads after a fully-laden lorry lost control on the Chapel Hill Road, crashing through a stone wall before it [hit] the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the early hours of Tuesday morning."
The Leinster Express also has concerns about problems on the roads. Darren O'Loughlin reports: "Residents of Marian Avenue, Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, staged a protest on Monday and Tuesday and called for Laois County Council to construct ramps on the roads to protect their children from speeding motorists."
The report goes on: "Marian Avenue residents said they were being increasingly used as a short cut thoroughfare by the employees of a number of businesses. Paula Davis, who is involved in the protest, says that near misses happen all the time in the estate."
TWO midland papers are concerned about the closure of small post offices. The Offaly Independent reports: "The aggressive policy of the present Government in closing subpost offices is `the most serious attack yet on rural communities', says Laois/Offaly TD Tom Enright. The Government directive to use An Post reserves of £167 million to offset predicted losses is a serious mistake," he is quoted as saying.
The Midland Tribune also quotes Deputy Enright. "Effectively, large supermarket groups will be able to take over. Even at this late stage the Minister [Mrs O'Rourke] should take cognisance of the fact that approximately 1,000 to 1,400 of these family-run post offices will be closed down by her policy and that of her colleagues in Government."
With many regional papers concentrating on GAA matters, the Donegal Democrat takes a different sporting tack. Frontpage coverage is given to the holding of the Quicksilver Masters Surfing Competition in Bundoran which has attracted surfers from several countries.
The paper says: "Imagine Pele, Maradona, George Best and Bobby Charlton joined by many more for a game right in your backyard." The paper suggests that this is the surfing equivalent of such an event.
The same paper celebrates the feat of local girl Sinead Jennings in winning a gold medal in the world rowing championships in Switzerland.