Sinn Fein Councillor Joanna Byrne has asked Louth County Council to assist the Drogheda Animal Rescue Service (DAR) in their search for a new premises.
Councillor Byrne told the January meeting if the Borough District of Drogheda last night that DAR have been providing their invaluable service to the Drogheda community for the past 26 years but have now been served with a notice to quit their current premises at Bellescourt, Scholes Lane by April.
“Everyone knows the value of their work to the community” Councillor Byrne told the meeting and added that throughout that 26 years the service has been carried out on a voluntary basis.
She asked that the Council would “…further engage to try assist in securing adequate premises for them to ensure continued delivery of the invaluable service they provide to the town of Drogheda and surrounding areas.”
In his official response the Council’s Director of Services and Organisational Development, Joe McGuinness, pointed out that Drogheda Borough Corporation previously offered lands by Section 183 at Marsh Road Drogheda to Drogheda Animal Rescue which was never developed.
“Louth County Council have no other lands that are suitable to the needs of the organisation” he added.
Tiger, a Bengal cat, is also looking for a new home.
Councillor Byrne accepted that the Council had offered DAR a plot of land on the Marsh Road years ago but it was subject to flooding and would have been too expensive to develop.
“Ideally DAR are looking for a more central premises” she said. “If they were offered a more suitable green field site I’m sure they would consider it.”
“We should be seeing more engagement before we lose such a valuable service” she added.
Independent Councillor Kevin Callan said that he had raised the idea some years ago of offering Dar a site or premises at the old Quarry on the Cement Road.
“If the Council would look at the possibility of providing a site there I’m sure prefab buildings could be found” he said.
“Drogheda Animal Rescue is in trouble and they need our help now” he added.
Senior Executive Officer at Louth County Council told the meeting that the Council “…will not be found wanting” but at the moment there were problems with the registration of the land at the quarry which could result in lengthy delays.
Councillor Pio Smith pointed out that there are plenty of empty properties in Drogheda and suggested that one of those could be made available to tide DAR over.
For more about Drogheda Animal Rescue see their Facebook page.
