River rescue service to get purpose-built new Navan HQ

Meath County Council has allocated land at Beechmount Home Park in Navan to Meath River Rescue, which is now expected to apply for planning permission to construct a purpose-built unit on the site. At a meeting of Navan Area Council last week, councillors voted to allocate two-thirds of an acre at Beechmount to Meath River Rescue for the construction of its own headquarters and utility units. The Mayor of Navan, Cllr Anton McCabe, welcomed the decision. He said that securing a site for the group was one of his aims during his year as mayor and he was delighted to see it come to fruition. "Meath River Rescue have, in the past, rented accommodation and they now look forward to having a permanent home," he said. He added that the group had been living on promises for years and last week's decision recognises the contribution the group makes to society, not only in their own county of Meath, also throughout the country. He said 2011 was a great year for the group with Christopher Rennicks winning the Rehab Meath Personality of the Year award for the group's work. He is now in the running for the national title in 2012. Cllr Joe Reilly also welcomed the decision. He said the local volunteers, through their work over the years, now played a central and crucial role in Meath's emergency services infrastructure. "The construction of their own building marks a major advance for them," said Cllr Reilly. "Having worked with Meath River Rescue and the management of both Navan and Meath Councils over the past number of months to secure the site, I look forward to the opening of the next chapter in the development of MRR," he said. "Many families from Meath and further afield have reasons to be grateful for the work of the volunteers of MRR," he went on.