Water and the lack of it impacting the growing population of Ratoath

Electorate: 28,415

Seats: 7

Sitting councillors:

Brian Fitzgerald (Ind), Deirdre Geraghty Smith (FF), Nick Killian(Ind),  Maria Murphy (FG), Gerry O'Connor (FG), Caroline O'Reilly (FF), Gillian Toole (Ind), (All bar Cllr Geraghty Smith running again).

Candidates: Eilish Balfe (Labour), Fionnan Blake (SF), Ruadhain Blake (Green Party), Eleanor Carroll (Ind), John Donohoe (FF), Carolyn Fahy (Party for Animal Welfare), Jean Murray (The National Party), Trish Murtagh (SF), Fergus O Riordan (FG) Gerry Rooney (Workers Party).

THIS year's election to Ratoath Municipal District has been marred by tragedy, following the sudden death last September of Fianna Fail's Cllr Damien O'Reilly who topped the poll in the area in 2019.

He has been replaced on the Ratoath area council by his cousin, Cllr Caroline O'Reilly, who will be running as Fianna Fail candidate.

The Ratoath local electoral area covers an area that includes the village of Ratoath and Kilbride across to Dunshaughlin, Dunboyne and Kilcloon and is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, with a much bigger electorate than in 2019.

Ratoath has seen phenomenal growth over the last 30 years, as has Dunboyne, and with new developments completed and many more on stream, the population of Dunshaughlin is now exploding.

Infrastructure such as public transport, schools, playgrounds and creches to cater for the burgeoning population will be high on voters minds as they go to the polls in this local electoral area on the borders of Dublin.

Among the biggest issues in this area is water - in Ratoath village in particular as well as Kilcloon. Water outages are a regular part of life in these areas, impacting homes and businesses on almost a weekly basis.

Ratoath businessman, Russell Bailey who runs La Bucca Restaurant in the village says there have been water outages 21 times in the last 18 months and each time, he has had to send his staff home.

"It is virtually impossible to run a coffee shop in Ratoath. It is not just me that is affected, but any business in the area that relies on water, such as hairdressers and it is also impacting local residents.

"What I'd like to see is some kind of wage subsidy scheme for the employees of the businesses affected, who have to be sent home. It could be funded by Irish Water or Meath County Council," he says.

Traffic and speeding is also a huge issue across the area, with all of its roads, even the smaller regional and county roads, being used as rat runs by commuter traffic and cross country traffic. Public transports, problems with bus timetables, lateness and no shows are also a major issue for residents of this area, with many wondering when the new Navan rail line, which would serve Ratoath and Dunshaughin will ever see the light of day.

In Dunboyne, the new cycle and pedestrian scheme is being raised at the doorsteps, there has been anger at proposals to put cycle lanes in the centre of the village and concern that many houses will lose parts of their gardens to facilitate the scheme.

Patricia Lynch, of Dunshaughlin Historical Society and Dunshaughlin Tidy Towns says that housing, lack of infrastructure, scarcity of GPS, traffic and schools are the main issues facing Dunshaughlin.

"The price of houses in this area is astronomical, young people don't have a chance. Cost of living challenges are affecting young and old and people are having problems accessing GP services," she said.

Seven members will be elected to represent this vast area on Meath County Council with six of the current members seeking re-election while Fianna Fail councillor, Deirdre Geraghty Smith bows out of politics.

There are three independent members on the Ratoath area council, Nick Killian (left), Brian Fitzgerald (opposite page) and Gillian Toole - and they are expected to hold onto their seats.

Cllr Killian, who has represented the area for 25 years, was a former Fianna Fail councillor. He was first elected in 1999 and has been re-elected at every election since.

After 40 years Brian Fitzgerald is known as 'Father of the Council'. First elected to Meath County Council in 1984 as a Labour councillor, he was a Labour TD from 1992 to 1997and has been an Independent member of the council since 1999.

Cllr Gillian Toole was elected as a Fine Gael councillor in 2014, but stood as an independent in 2019.

The tragic death of Fianna Fail's Cllr Damien O'Reilly a just 40 years of age has cast a huge shadow over this election.

He was replaced on the Ratoath area council by his cousin, Cllr Caroline O'Reilly who is now running for re-election. Damien O'Reilly had a massive person vote and topped the poll in the 2019 election. It remains to be seen if Caroline O'Reilly can pull in the same vote, having been on the council such a short time, but she is expected to hold onto her seat.

Her Fianna Fai running mate, journalist John Donohoe (opposite page, bottom right), is also looking very strong and could well take the seat vacated by Deirdre Geraghty Smith.

There are currently two Fine Gael councillors on the Ratoath Municipal Council, Cllr Maria Murphy who is based in Dunboyne and Cllr Gerry O'Connor, who is based in Dunshaughlin. They are joined on the party ticket by Fergus O'Riordan who also has a high profile in the area.

Sinn Fein will be working hard to regain a place on Ratoath Municipal Council with two candidates - Trish Murtagh and Fionnan Blake (opposite page, left).

Trish Murtagh is based in Ratoath, where she lives and has reared her family and is an independent business owner, while Fionnan Blake is Station Officer at Dunshaughlin Fire Station, and has worked in Meath Fire Service for more than 25 years.

Sinn Fein had a seat in this electoral area from 2014 to 2019 and will be keen to win it back and maybe take a second as they have been putting in a very strong campaign for some time.

Ratoath's Eilish Balfe, who has been active in campaigning for parks and community facilities, is also expected to put in a good showing for Labour.

The anti immigration vote is an unknown quantity in this election, but canvassers from the major parties get the feeling that support for anti immigration parties is not as strong in real life as it is on social media. Ratoath woman, Jean Murray, who is running for The National Party will be putting that theory to the test. Gerry Rooney of the Workers Party who has been heading up a formal complaint about Ratoath's water problems to the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is expected to attract good support in the Ratoath village area. Carolyn Fahy is running for the Party for Animal Welfare while Ruadháin Bonham is the Green Party's candidate, while Dunboyne woman, Eleanor Carroll is running as an Ihhndependent.

There are many unknown factors in this election, the growing population contributing to a bigger electorate, mounting frustration at infrastructure shortfalls and the anti-immigration sentiment that seems to have entered Irish politics in recent years.

While there is speculation that sitting councillors, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein are most likely to be the winners, we will have to wait to 9th or 10th of June for the final outcome.