Nash hopes to see the borough council returned to Drogheda
LEGISLATION that would restore the Borough Council to Drogheda has been prepared by the Labour Party and will be published shortly, Senator Ged Nash has said.
Senator Nash said, “Phil Hogan destroyed local government by abolishing Borough and Town Councils, absorbing planning and rates functions into County Councils.
“Quite apart from our strong and proud centuries-long history of local government in Drogheda, our main urban centres are the drivers of economic development and social progress.
“This needs to be recognised in law by legislation to restore the Borough Council and to ensure that we have the appropriate powers in Drogheda to help shape our own destiny.
“The government has rejected the notion that the Drogheda boundary should be extended which would make the formal urban area of Drogheda as large as Waterford City.
“I commissioned the Boundary Review when I was a Minister and this was an important step in the campaign for ‘city status’ for Drogheda. The refusal to extend the boundary is a massive blow for the town and the region.
“Sadly, some Fine Gael representatives kept silent on this ambition for the Drogheda for fear of alienating some voters.
“Major and historic towns like Drogheda, Wexford, Kilkenny and Sligo have lost their status in recent times and if we are serious about the new National Spatial Strategy Borough status needs to be restored and it will be if our new legislation is accepted.”