Recent developments in various sectors have combined to create a “perfect storm” for Drogheda which, if properly managed, could be hugely beneficial to those of us lucky enough to be living and working on the banks of the Boyne.
Dublin Port has recently said they are approaching maximum capacity and is considering building a new port on the East Coast. This ties in with the Drogheda Port plan for a new facility at Bremore at Gormanston.
The Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor initiative which was announced yesterday has the potential to improve the lives of citizens on both sides of the border economically and socially.
The report of the research into the drugs and violence plaguing Drogheda in recent years by the former heard of the Probation Service, Vivian Geiran, was discussed at Cabinet level earlier in the week and is to be published tomorrow.
The Geiran report contains 73 recommendations including a new Community Centre for Moneymore and, according to one source, many more projects in the realms of education and financing the drug rehabilitation services locally.
At the launch yesterday Tanaiste Leo Varadkar spoke about a high speed rail link between Dublin and Belfast which would reduce travel time to “around and hour” which is good but does that mean that Drogheda and Dundalk get by-passed?
Local TD Fergus O’Dowd says that Drogheda and Dundalk, the two largest towns in Ireland, are perfectly positioned to drive Foreign Direct Investment along the economic corridor and both were designated in the 2040 National Development Plan.
“Drogheda and Dundalk have also been earmarked in the most recent IDA Strategy, “Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021 – 2024″ for Advanced Building Solutions which will be marketed to clients across the Financial Services, Technology, Global Services and Life Sciences sectors” he added.
“We are in a perfect position along the corridor with excellent road and rail networks and our close proximity to both Dublin and Belfast airports, we also have a very strong third level landscape.
“This announcement has been further boosted by the news that An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Leo Varadkar T.D, has announced funding of €338,000 to establish a new Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway for the North-East in the Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT).
“I look forward to working closely with the local chambers of commerce and stakeholders on the strategy to drive forward further investment and deliver more opportunities in the region,” Deputy O’Dowd concluded.
This is all very exciting but it is now essential that the money is invested to build the infrastructure needed. In Drogheda’s case it means that a speedy delivery of the Northern Cross Route (the PANCR) is vital and any further delays will be catastrophic.
It was ominous that the Minister responsible, Darragh O’Brien, didn’t even mention the PANCR at yesterday’s online launch.
Our three local TD’s must now make urgent and united representations to ensure that the Minister fully understands the seriousness of his Department’s refusal of the Council’s funding application.
This road and the planned community, and commercial developments surrounding it should have been open many years ago. After all, the idea for it was first mooted in 2001.
