Fianna Fáil Councillor Stephen McKee was elected new Cathaoirleach of the South Drogheda & East Meath Electoral Area yesterday (Thursday) in the Civic Offices in Duleek.
“It is both an honour and a privilege to have been elected Cathoirleach of the Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District covering South Drogheda and East Meath” McKee said.
“I would like to thank my family and in particular, my wife Lorna for all her support in my political career to date allowing me to give the time and effort that I do in working for the community.
“I look forward to continuing to represent local residents to the best of my ability and to use my role as Cathaoirleach for the betterment of the area” he continued.
“There are many pressing issues in East Meath including road safety and traffic management on all our roads and I would like to see more urgency in solving them.
“We do have some good news stories though and we can look forward to the opening within the next year of the new Library and Civic Building in Bettystown.
‘I am pleased that the road safety works at the bottom of Station Road, Duleek will soon start and that will make a difference in Duleek. I look forward also to the footpath work between Donacarney National School and Bettystown Cross being completed over the Summer.
“There are many other road safety and footpath works that are badly needed in the area and I will be pressing hard for them” he said.
Turning his attention to the local Transport Plan which is being prepared for Drogheda & East Meath to assess the transportation requirements for the area, Councillor McKee said:
“I will continue to lobby for road safety improvements across the area to be included as part of this Local Transport Plan, for improved public transport and for additional transport infrastructure such as bus shelters to be put in place.
“We also need to do far more for families and provide more public spaces, playgrounds and recreational facilities for children and our youth to enjoy. I will champion more amenities for families in that regard over the coming year. “I will also continue to lobby for the Duleek Realm Plan to be progressed as a matter of urgency to improve the environment for local business to flourish and to enhance the quality of life for local residents.
“Our local sporting clubs, groups and organisations are the heartbeat of our communities and they need to be further supported to allow them to grow and to continue to provide a vital social outlet for local people and their children.
“I am looking forward to the challenge of the coming year” he concluded.
