Hi HennyPenny
We seem to share a lot of the same problems! If you have a councillor on your side, grab him. In my experience, it can be very hard to get them interested.
It's all about funding. What you need to do is to have it motioned at a County Council Meeting. Only a council membercan get this done and he needs to get another one to second it. Once it is on agenda, THEN the revelant measures and corresponding funding can be discussed but funding is probably already ringfenced for this year.
You can contact the relevant people in the council directly; probably Majella Hunt, Director of Services for Roads. Don't hold your breath. You need to have a bit of a thick neck, the reasonable approach won't get you far and you will probably find that phonecalls are not readily returned. Better to keep everything in writing. Copy all and sundry in other sections (there's a Road Safety Officer too, I think but I don't know her name).
Get the local papers on board. At least get it into the notes section.
I tried to get the Gardai to help me lobby the council on a dangerous road issue but while they agreed with me, they said they couldn't get involved unless there is an accident!!! I'm still reeling from that one.
To be honest, it's all very disillusioning and takes ages (as in years) and major pestering and you will probably be promised the sun moon and stars to little avail but I would still accept any help from a Councillor.
Best of luck with it
Rebecca