Residents in Tallaght are urgently calling for the Charles O’Toole footbridge over the N81 to be closed down and demolished due to safety fears.
David Larkin, who lives near the bridge which links St Dominic’s with Tallaght village, told Dublin Live that he is "very concerned" as people can currently climb over and walk along the outside of the bridge at the St Dominic’s end of the structure.
He said: "I live a couple of kilometres away from the bridge but it's unbelievable that even a judge has called for it to be demolished. And then a young man in 2021 walked up along the side of the bridge and fell off down onto the N81 and he was seriously injured."
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Mr Larkin claimed that he has also witnessed children climbing along the outside of the bridge, and he fears there will be a serious incident if action isn’t taken. He said: "Last year I witnessed children, young lads, climbing up the side of it and the parents came out and started shouting at them to get down off the bridge or they'd fall.
"South Dublin County Council have received a number of complaints from residents in connection with the bridge, but they've failed to do anything," added Mr Larkin.
He also referred to how in 2014 a judge called for the bridge to be permanently closed to the public and demolished as it presented a danger to the community.
In 2014, Judge Anthony Halpin described the footbridge as an "unholy" health risk for anyone who finds themselves in difficulty. He made the comments when two men appeared in Tallaght District Court charged in relation to the killing of Dale Creighton on the bridge the previous New Year’s Day.
More recently, Mr Larkin asked Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy to submit an email on his behalf to South Dublin Council. In the reply he was told that the council is "reviewing the design options" to prevent people from being able to walk along the outer parapet and over the N81.
Mr Larkin explained: "The council responded they said they hope to carry out carry out works this year, but nothing at all has happened to the bridge."
He added: "In my opinion SDCC know deep down there is a serious problem with the design of the bridge. The bridge is used by hundreds of people including school children everyday.
"In my opinion SDCC is putting people at risk by not closing down the walkover bridge immediately," said Mr Larkin. A second resident, who asked not to be named, also voiced her concern for children in the area.
She said: "We're all very concerned about the walkover bridge, there have been so many incidents over the years with gardai being called out. It's become a hazard to the community, especially to children, I've seen them climbing up on the outside.
"One of these days someone is going to fall and possibly die if the council doesn't immediately close it down. It's unsafe and very dangerous," the woman added.
Dublin Live has contacted South Dublin Council for comment.
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