All public representatives in Drogheda, East Meath and South Louth invited to attend launch.
Drogheda City Status Group (DCSG) have produced an information video showing the rapid growth of the Greater Drogheda area which highlights the need for urgent political action to properly plan the growth of Ireland’s largest town as it moves to become the country’s next city.
“For more than a decade, DCSG has been campaigning for city status for Drogheda which would embrace parts of East Meath” said DCSG Chairperson, Anna McKenna.
“It is a continuing scandal that this Greater Drogheda Region still does not have a senior and local administration presence. All senior Local Authority staff are located either in distant Dundalk (for Drogheda and South Louth) and Navan (for East Meath).”
“This is a major factor in the neglect of the Greater Drogheda area when – for example – it comes to job creation and the absence of a Third Level campus.”
Anna said that the video will highlight the rapid population and housing growth across the Greater Drogheda Region which has been happening for some time now and will be further reinforced as thousands of new houses are built on the Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) on the north side of Drogheda, which will require a major drive to create local employment.
“One stark statistic is that at this moment, Ireland’s largest town does not have even one employee of the three State job creation agencies – IDA; Enterprise Ireland and LEO. “Until recently Drogheda and East Meath were managed by two separate IDA Regional Offices, and it is clear from the lack of jobs created in both areas that the Greater Drogheda Region was not a priority, especially for the IDA,” said Anna.
“DCSG acknowledge that in recent times, Minister Simon Harris and LMETB CEO Martin O’Brien have made great progress in the continued development of local Further Education and Training facilities through the expansion of DIFE and the development of the new Electrical Apprenticeship Centre as well as the plan to locate the LMETB’s headquarters in Drogheda.
“However, DCSG are concerned at the growing numbers of students forced to make long commutes to Third Level institutions in Dublin; Maynooth; Dundalk and further afield.
“DCSG will present their new video produced by a professional videographer and featuring new drone footage which clearly confirms the rapid and massive growth of the Greater Drogheda Region, to a special event being arranged later this month for all Oireachtas members and local Councillors who represent Drogheda; South Louth and East Meath.
“We are finalising arrangements at the moment and are inviting all public representatives in the Greater Drogheda Region to the launch.
“Given the importance of the subject, we expect that there will be a strong attendance and we are very keen to ensure that communities in East Meath are represented by their political representatives, as what’s good for Drogheda is good for East Meath and vice versa.”
