For toolong Drogheda has suffered from being in two different counties and at the periphery of both Louth and Meath County Councils. 

We will not accept any half measures - City Status Group

Speculation is rife that the Government is about to make a pre-election announcement about the future of Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath.

One source claims that the Government intends to appoint a senior civil servant to take charge of certain local government matters in the area.

The Drogheda City Status Group (DCSG) has responded by saying it will not accept any half measures.

“If this means that finally, the Greater Drogheda area has its own senior Local Government staff – with administrative support - to determine its own future, then that’s a welcome first step” a spokesperson said in a statement issued today.

“However, if the planned staff do not have autonomy from Dundalk or Navan, little will have changed,” said the spokesperson who indicated that DCSG was urgently seeking a meeting with Minister Eoghan Murphy and the Taoiseach to clarify what is being proposed.

The spokesperson applauded the recent unanimous decision of East Meath’s seven Councillors to support the campaign for City Status for Drogheda and to seek collaboration with their fellow Councillors in Drogheda, adding “what’s good for Drogheda is good for East Meath, and vice versa.”

“This is a very welcome and significant development for communities across the Greater Drogheda area who face shared concerns in areas such as health; housing; education and the lack of local employment opportunities – in the case of the latter two issues, too many people in our communities are forced into long and expensive daily commutes for work or education.

“This needs to change urgently, and we have contacted the IDA Chief Executive to begin a dialogue regarding IDA upgrading Drogheda to the status of a Strategic Employment Centre,” said the spokesperson.