ABOUT 50 CYCLISTS staged a lie-down protest outside of Leinster House this evening in protest at the number of cyclists who have died on Irish roads and calling on government to increase road safety.

The protest – organised by the Dublin Cycle Campaign and I Bike Dublin – was called following the death of a 19-year-old cyclist last week.

The young man was involved in a collision with a truck near UCD at the junction of the Stillorgan Road and Greenfield Park.

Advocates said that it brings to four the number of cyclists killed on Irish roads since the beginning of the year. As well as this, 15 cyclists died on Irish roads last year.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Green Party councillor Ciaran Cuffe said that people had come out because they were “devastated by the loss of another cyclist’s life in Dublin” and called on government to increase cyclist safety.

“The tragedies are continuing but we need to give cycling the funding it deserves to try and ensure that these tragedies don’t keep on repeating,” he said.

He said that the country had seen “a fantastic rise” in the number of people cycling in recent years.

“But we need to make sure that cyclists have safe routes to and from where they’re going,” he said.

“Dublin City Council is receiving less funding this year than we received in previous years. So I don’t think Shane Ross gets it.

I think it is crucial that a message goes to the Minister for Transport that cycling needs the funding required to make it safer and to cope with the numbers that are growing in our towns and cities.

He said that protected cycle lanes and better roads were required to increase safety.

Those gathered also heard from a representative of the Dublin Cycling Campaign.

There were calls for a minimum of 10% of the transport budget to be allocated to safe cycling and walking.