The Drogheda City Status Group has described an editorial published in the online edition of the Dundalk Argus newspaper supporting their bid for city status and a locally based administration as a ‘major boost’ for its campaign.

In his article, Editor John Mulligan says that Drogheda ‘deserves better recognition’ and that ‘if that means a new local authority to look after their affairs then it is justified’.

‘It is not difficult to see that Drogheda shouldn’t be administered by two neighbouring local authorities for a wide variety of reasons, planning considerations being one obvious one,’ Mr.Mulligan says.

‘Drogheda cannot be administered from Dundalk or Navan, for in the coming years it will outgrow cities like Waterford and Kilkenny, and that growth can’t be stunted by a lack of political will‘ he continues.

‘It may not be the popular thing to say in Dundalk, but Drogheda has outgrown the administrative boots it inherited, and badly needs a new pair.’

Praising the article, Drogheda City Status Group (DCSG) PRO Anthony Murphy said it reflected the reality that Drogheda is poorly represented currently and adding that the broadly supports the 14-year-old campaign for city status for Drogheda.

‘We are delighted to see this recognition, coming especially as it does from a Dundalk-based news outlet, and indeed from its editor. We thank Mr. Mulligan for his honesty and integrity in saying it as it is – Drogheda needs city status, its own administration and much more,’ Anthony said.

‘Our campaign is in its 14^th year. The reality that Drogheda is outgrowing all other towns, and will soon catch up on some of Ireland’s already established cities, is dawning on everyone. The Argus newspaper took a brave and frankly surprising but magnanimous step in acknowledging our campaign.’

DCSG Chairperson Anna McKenna added that while Drogheda and Dundalk may have a long-running and deep-seated rivalry, the City Status campaign in Drogheda was never about an anti-Dundalk sentiment, but rather focused on the lack of representation for Drogheda and the poor investment of recent decades.

‘All of us in Drogheda – lifelong residents and new arrivals – recognise the amazing potential of our city to grow into one of the best places in Ireland in which to live. However, our potential has never been realised, and in fact was completely stunted by the short-sighted decisions of recent decades which saw Drogheda’s power to govern itself removed.’

‘Now we have a situation where the reality – the population growth, the census figures, and the explosion of development of the town, including the newly opened first phase of the Port Access Northern Cross Route – is so obvious for all to see that even our friends in the north of the county recognise that our case is completely genuine and that we are in a power vacuum here.’

‘We feel that our case, and our campaign, is growing stronger by the minute. We have had positive meetings in Leinster House and with senior politicians, and the feeling on the ground is that something MUST be done, and done soon, in order to properly plan the future of Drogheda, which is fast outstripping many of the fastest-growing areas in the State.’

Anthony Murphy added: ‘Anyone who has visited Drogheda in recent weeks and months can see with their own eyes how rapid the pace of development is here. But in addition to the houses, we need infrastructure, a university, meaningful IDA and foreign direct investment, job creation, more transport hubs and links, and most importantly of all, the power to run our own affairs and properly plan the future of this great city.’

CLICK HERE TO READ The Argus editorial