Over 500 people attended the Rhu Glen N25 safety meeting this evening (Monday) for a public meeting that turned into a passionate call against what campaigners describe as a decades-long disregard for road safety on a lethal stretch of the N25.

Organised by the Irish Road Victims Association in partnership with the N25 Waterford to Glenmore Road Safety Campaign Committee, the meeting focused on the urgent need for safety upgrades between Slieverue and Glenmore, a 6.2km section of road with a devastating record.

In the last 20 years, this short stretch has seen 12 fatalities and dozens more life-altering injuries, with residents living in constant fear every time they get behind the wheel or walk along the route.

A road marked by tragedy

Bernie Mullally, a local nurse, mother, and chairperson of the campaign, set the tone for the evening with a powerful address.

“I now ask everyone here tonight to pause and reflect. Remember those who never came home on this road,” she said, as the crowd bowed their heads in a minute’s silence.

“This road is unforgiving. Any incremental safety improvement will make a difference. I have cared for people injured on this road people who never fully recovered. This is real life, and these are real concerns.”

The emotion in the room was clear, as family members of victims, emergency workers, and neighbours reflected on the toll this road has taken not just in lives lost, but in lives changed forever.

Long list of safety demands

Despite recent minor improvements, including the installation of a static speed camera, campaigners say far more is needed. Their manifesto incudes a list of safety measures:

  • Installation of average (mean) speed cameras between Luffany Roundabout and Ballinaraha.

  • Clearing of roadside ditches and hedgerows to improve visibility, especially at dangerous bends and junctions.

  • Slip road graduations to reduce the risk of abrupt merging or collisions.

  • Traffic calming measures, including rumble strips, raised surfaces, and reduced speed limits.

  • Improved public lighting at key blackspots.

  • New and upgraded signage, including driver feedback displays and danger zone warnings.

  • Review and reinforcement of side barriers to ensure crash protection.

“I saw a near collision the day I came home”

PJ Griffin, a lifelong resident of Glenmore, described the fear and frustration shared by locals. He recently returned from the U.S., only to witness a near collision on the N25 within hours of landing.

“This isn’t an abstract concern,” he said. “This is personal. We’ve pleaded with Kilkenny County Council to take meaningful steps — from ditch clearing to signage. We need more than promises. We need results.”

Growing Traffic, Growing Risk

The road, part of a major artery connecting Rosslare Europort to the rest of the country, has seen a 300–400% increase in traffic volumes since Brexit, adding further urgency to local concerns.

According to data shared at the meeting, 17,946 vehicles passed through the Glenmore section on a single day in May 2025.

“We’re not just dealing with local traffic anymore,” noted Griffin. “We’ve got hauliers, tourist buses, and increased ferry traffic all converging on a substandard road. It’s a recipe for tragedy.”

Calls for National Investment

LAR Power, CEO of Kilkenny County Council, acknowledged the road’s deficiencies but also pointed to the complexity of national road funding.

“We need a new road,” he said bluntly. “But that will cost over €100 million and take at least six years to complete even if funding was approved today.”

Power explained that while Kilkenny County Council supports improvements, ultimate responsibility lies with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)  an organisation that drew criticism for not sending a representative to the meeting, reportedly due to staffing issues.

Cross-county and cross-party support

The campaign has garnered support from elected representatives across Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford. Among those in attendance at the Rhu Glen N25 safety meeting was Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane, who was the only Waterford TD in attendance.

Other attendees included members of An Garda Síochána, emergency services, and local councillors.

The campaign committee closed the meeting with a clear message: this is only the beginning. A follow-up public meeting is scheduled for September 2025, and organisers promised to keep up the pressure, continue engaging policymakers, and ensure that no more lives are lost to political delay.

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