By Andy Spearman
The case for Drogheda and East Meath to merge and become an official city with its own local authority has been debated for many years, long before the Drogheda City Status Group was set up in 2009, at this stage it has been well and truly proven and it is now up to the Government to make the necessary decisions and for our representatives to keep the pressure on.
Drogheda and its neighbouring areas on the Meath coast are both on the periphery of the territories governed by Louth and Meath County Councils which are based in Dundalk and Navan respectively. Both areas have suffered to some extent from the “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
Three years after the Drogheda City Status Campaign became a thing, in 2012, a motion was brought by the then Mayor, Councillor Kevin Callan, which read:
“That the members of Drogheda Borough Council from this day forward give their consent and approval to the people of Drogheda referring to Drogheda as the City of Drogheda.” This motion was passed unanimously but it changed nothing except put the issue on the public agenda.
There was a government boundary review in 2017 but despite the huge population growth in the south Louth, Drogheda and East Meath areas, no new constituency was created.
This was widely seen as a major cop-out on the part of the powers that be at the time but now there is another chance to make the necessary change. It is essential that our three TDs get this matter discussed with the relevant Minsters in the Dáil.
Also, an Electoral Commission review is currently open for public consultation, and it is vital that as many people as possible have their say.You can do so HERE.
The benefits that will accrue to Drogheda and East Meath by becoming a city are many and various and, without wishing to go over the full 14 years of the DCSG campaign, here are some of their suggestions:
- “We have many of the attributes of a city – large population; good infrastructure; transport hub; the “de-facto” Regional Hospital for the North East.
- “City status will put us in the Premiership for overseas businesses to consider setting up here and we are unique in having major housing projects coming on stream for their employees.”
- “Cities have a magnetic ‘pull’ on areas around them, and become hubs of creativity, enterprise, education. This means reduction of the ‘brain drain’ of workers and students heading to Dublin/Dundalk every day. Another east coast city would take some of the strain off Dublin resources and infrastructure.
- “Local administration and governance would enable us to realise Drogheda’s full potential to contribute on the bigger picture for the Greater Drogheda Region which would lead to greater social and economic prosperity for the population of the region.
- “We have massive untapped tourism potential throughout the Boyne Valley and East Coast regions of South Louth and East Meath that need a focused approach and would deliver significant economic benefits if realised.”
The DCSG has commissioned the following video by Anthony Murphy which puts their case very eloquently:
DCSG believe this review creates a key opportunity to assert a more logical and better way to run the administration of the Greater Drogheda Region and to enhance the quality of life for people living, working and studying in the Greater Drogheda area.
“There are just days left to have your say on the future of Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath” said Chairperson Anna McKenna. This is an opportunity for people in the Greater Drogheda Region to assert their desire to build on emerging efforts to take a more holistic and orderly approach towards the local administration, planning and development in this Region, with obvious benefits for all,” she added.
