There are major concerns in Enfield, County Meath, due to the removal of a long-standing school warden from near St. Mary's Primary School. For 32 years, a long-serving warden, who we used to call a lollipop lady, has looked after the children going to and from the school. The position has now been removed. As is completely understandable, community members and local representatives have expressed real concern, citing high traffic volumes during the school run and the risk to children. My office wrote to Meath County Council expressing the concerns of the community of Enfield and we were advised that the current school warden, who operates at the Main Street and Johnstown Road junction, will soon reach the mandatory age of retirement from public service and will not be replaced. The county council mentioned that school wardens would not continue and that it was satisfied that safe crossing points were provided on the street in the form of traffic light-controlled pedestrian crossings. The reply referred to a table and railing guide to guide pedestrians at the crossing points. However, between 150 and 180 children cross the road and they are used to having a school warden.

This particular junction is very busy. Last Friday, I had a clinic in Enfield. When I walked up Main Street, I went to cross over at the junction to go towards St. Mary's Special School. The green man was on the pedestrian crossing and, lo and behold, a bus came straight through the junction. Luckily, I had turned right and did not put a foot onto the road or God knows what would have happened. I can only imagine what would have happened to a child. That incident happened at lunchtime.

The county council has said the junction should not have a school warden. Although I represent Enfield, I am not from the area. Even I can clearly see the junction needs more support for children going in and out of school. Meath County Council outlined that, as each school warden retires or resigns, each location is reviewed. It also said that it was satisfied that the junction was functioning and safe and that no other measures were envisaged.

We in this House constantly discuss the safe routes to school programme, and we need to continue to speak about it and how important it is for schools. The school warden was doing an excellent job of getting kids across the road safely. While there is no safe routes to school programme at that junction, surely we should not consider taking away the school warden until such time as the safe routes to school programme is reintroduced and the school can apply for it. Removing school wardens before safe routes to school programmes are fully and effectively implemented is not just premature, but potentially dangerous.

School wardens perform a role that goes far beyond holding a sign and stopping traffic. They are a visible and human safeguard at some of the most unpredictable points on road networks. They work at crossings near schools where children's behaviour can be impulsive - they can be excited going in and leaving school - and traffic patterns are chaotic. If the goal is for schools to transition towards safer and more sustainable school travel, sequencing matters. Safe routes to school programmes should be fully funded, widely implemented and demonstrably effective before any serious consideration is given to removing wardens. Safe routes to school programmes should be available for all schools. I again call for that.