Drogheda/East Meath... Could it become ‘one of the best places in Ireland to live’?

East Meath could be "one of the best places in Ireland and Europe to live" if forward planning was put in place - that's according to a new community initiative set up to ensure the area "reaches its full potential."

The Drogheda East Meath Alliance wants to start a conversation about the future of the rapidly expanding area and how local government will work for their district going forward.

"We want to start a conversation about Drogheda/East Meath for the next 20 years and what we envisage where we live might look like because it is undergoing rapid change," said group member Geoff Fitzpatrick.

“We have some of the largest increases in population, along with some of the biggest housing projects planned or in construction in the State," he added.

“In five years our district grew by 14 per cent, double the national growth rate. Right now we’re growing by 3,000 new citizens each year.”

"We are starting off with a few public meetings, we will go to anywhere and everywhere that people want to engage so their voices can be heard," he added.

"We think Drogheda/ East Meath has huge potential, I think if it's planned and organised and considered the right way, it could be one of the best places in Ireland and Europe to live. That is what we have to think about and imagine."

The increasing population has put a strain on resources in East Meath, something that needs to be addressed going forward according to Geoff who said:

"It’s good that we have more and more people moving into the area but it needs to be managed because building houses is one thing but you need infrastructure, you need schools, you need roads, sports facilities, amenities, green areas all of this stuff that tends to come afterwards and is generally underfunded and not considered.

"When people move into their new homes, it doesn't really work the way they were expecting."

The Drogheda East Meath Alliance will also explore the potential creation of 30,000 jobs, so that people can work and live nearby, and have short manageable commutes to work.

"The big thing we have here in Drogheda and East Meath is the availability of local employment. In Bettystown, Laytown and Donacarney 27 percent of people who commute to work, commute more than one hour, that's absolute madness. There is no reason why those jobs can't be located locally.

"That is one of the big things that has a big impact on family life, on social life, on clubs, it puts huge stress on our communities so that is something that we want to have a conversation about."

In 2020 The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD published the Vivian Guerin report into the challenges and needs experienced by communities in Drogheda and surrounding areas as a result of ongoing feuding activities by criminal gangs. Geoff says despite recommendations for East Meath and Drogheda to collaborate on a local area plan it hasn't happened.

"There was a boundary review conducted in 2016 and out of that there was a demand from the committee that the two local authorities put a joint local area plan together, that plan didn't happen. Then the Vivian Guerin report that the minister for Justice is overseeing, one of the recommendations is that as a matter of urgency and priority the two local authorities join together to develop a joint local area plan and that didn't happen and it is causing a crisis here.

"Why hasn't it happened? Even basic things like terms of reference for such a plan, where are they and why haven't they been made available to the public ?

"There are lots of questions and very few answers."

Geoff is encouraging all people in Drogheda and East Meath to get involved in the movement that aims to ensure the best possible future for the area.

“We want to engage with as many people and local groups as possible," said Geoff.

"Our website is www.dema.ie and we've set up a petition, looking for people to sign up and support our campaign. You can also follow us on social media.”

A number of public meetings will take place to discuss issues for the area including

The Village Hotel, Eastham Rd, Bettystown 7pm Thursday 25th January 2024