Around 100 people have held a protest in Cellbridge, Co Kildare, over road safety concerns at a local school.
The protesters say there is no safe walking route to St Patrick's National School in the town.
There is also frustration that the designated pedestrian access gate has been locked for the 17 year history of the school.
There are 400 children enrolled at the school on Hazelhatch road.
Speaking to RTÉ News, parents at the protest said they are "fed up" waiting for the pedestrian access gate to be opened and in the meantime their children are walking to school without safe crosswalks at junctions on 60km/h roads.
"I'm here for kids' safety," one parent said.
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"The school was created here for 17 years. It was in the planning to have this gate opened as part of that planning permission and unfortunately, we just haven't got the buy-in from the necessary powers that be to open up the gate.
"It's very busy, as you can see, cars going by constantly, and there's no speed ramps.
"There's very little safety measures in place for the kids and it's just too dangerous every week or every other week, there's another safety incident that happens with our kids, and at this stage, parents are fed up, but we want action.
"We want the gate opened.
"We want our kids to get to the school safely," the parent said.
Another parent said that the school had asked for crossing guards to enhance the children's safety.
"We were told that it's not safe for a crossing guard.
"So how can it be safe for the children that the crossing guard would help across the road?"
One parent with two children already in the school and another beginning Junior Infants next year said her children need a safe way to get to school.
"We should be using the pedestrian gate that was built as part of a condition of the planning permission, but it has been locked, and that's what we're here to try and get the gate open so that kids can have this designated route available to them to use," they said.
A message signed by new school principal Jennifer Quigley, deputy principal Mary Keating and Chairperson of the Board of Management Fr Joe MacDonald was sent to parents in relation to the demonstration.
The message expressed support to the parents for "all your efforts to make coming and going to and from school, safer for your children.
"The pedestrian gate from the school grounds into Primrose Gate has never been open. The school does not, and has never had, a key to open the gate.
"We remain supportive of your endeavours and hope those who can effect change, will do so," the message said.
Louise McNerney from the St Patrick's National School Parents' Association said that she organised the protest outside the school because "the school have a duty to provide safe access, as does Kildare County Council".
"We just need them to open the gate. It's quite simple. It's on their land. There's a key there. I believe at least, if there's no key, we just need to open the gate some way," she said.
Fr McDonald said: "I wish the parents well and hope it will lead to the necessary action for road safety, especially from Kildare County Council."
Kildare County Council has been contacted for comment.
The Department of Education said issues concerning access and health and safety at the school are a matter in the first instance for the school authority.
If the issues relate to the provision of pathways and pedestrian crossings on a public road then they are matters for the school authority to raise with Kildare County Council.
