With local and European elections in June and a general election in the offing we’ve had many Government Ministers visiting Drogheda and been promised many things including that Drogheda will be given city status with its own city Council.

“A city in all but name” Taoiseach Simon Harris said, “We really need to finish the job in regard to Drogheda.” In April Minister for Housing and Local Government, Daragh O’Brien scoffed at the idea of city status for Drogheda saying it is “simply not being considered’.

By September however he had softened his stance considerably when, at the launch of her election campaign, he backed Alison Comyn’s call for a city manager for Drogheda saying it was "High time that Drogheda had a dedicated representative who would fight for the town at national level”. 

This week Sinn Féin Councillor and General Election candidate Joanna Byrne expressed her frustration at public comments made by senior Government officials, espousing “support" for Drogheda City Status, when in reality no effort has been made by this Government to properly plan for this.

“These public declarations stand in stark contrast to the responses given by the Minister for Housing when my colleague Ruairí Ó Murchú TD and others raised this matter in the Dáil” Cllr Byrne stated.

“Government decisions to date have held Drogheda back.  Democracy was decimated in Drogheda, Ardee and beyond when our borough and town councils were abolished in 2014 by the Fine Gael, Labour Government of the day.

“Drogheda has a wealth of potential that has been overlooked by successive governments. This is still the case today and, from what I can see, it will remain the case under a Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael Government. “

“I have worked for many years now as a local County Councillor alongside our two Louth TDs and county council team to put Drogheda back on the map where it belongs.

“We don’t need election promises from the parties that have left Drogheda behind - what we do need is a government who see this potential and want to deliver for Drogheda.

“If I am elected to the Dáil at the next General Election I certainly won’t be accepting anything less for Drogheda.”