Kildare drivers beware: The Lollilop camera is watching you!
Lollipop men and women outside Co Kildare schools will soon be armed with hidden cameras to catch drivers who fail to stop for them.
The 'lolli-cop' could be a fixture at schools across the country if a new trial scheme proves a success.
Kildare County Councils will pilot the scheme at locations across the county, along with Mayo Co Council.
School crossing wardens - or lollipop men and women - often endure verbal insults from motorists who refuse to stop for them.
The everyday challenges facing them - as well as the new pilot scheme - were discussed yesterday by local authorities at a road safety meeting in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Similar schemes across England, Scotland and Wales have been successful.
Declan Keogh, road safety officer with Kildare County Council, said: "The school wardens are acting in the interests and safety of our children, which is a good thing."
He added: "Motorists should be more aware of the crossing locations in their area and show a bit more courtesy.
"Any video footage may be used to prosecute dangerous driving and help stamp out road rage against the wardens.
Mayo County Council claimed that, despite the regular safety messages, there are some motorists who do not respect the law.
Noel Gibbons, road safety officer with Mayo County Council said wardens 'play a vital role in ensuring school children are provided with a safe route to and from the school'.
He added: 'They should be able to do this without fear of intimidation and treating behaviour from inconsiderate motorists.' Currently school wardens can only take the registration number of motorists who refuse to stop - a difficult process given they are busy supervising children at the time.
The cameras, which will be moved throughout Mayo and Kildare, are activated by the warden and are pointed at the offending car to record the number plate.
The scheme has been launched after a number of incidents in which motorists assaulted crossing patrol staff or ignored their demands to stop.
Such incidents are reported to councils across the country every year and this type of behaviour is becoming more common.
Under the law, a school warden should be obeyed in the same way as a red traffic light.
Failure to stop for a school warden could mean a fine of up to €120 and five penalty points on conviction.
Mr Gibbons said that the 'lolli-cop' would be placed 'discreetly' onto the lollipop signs and 'any disgruntled, impatient or bad-tempered drivers will be caught on film'.