Call to reverse Butter Gate work
MAYOR SAYS FOOT SOLDIERS PUT IN STEPS
THE Major of Drogheda, Cllr Frank Godfrey (pictured), has admitted that it was some of his ‘foot soldiers’ who were involved in the controversial concrete steps at the Butter Gate.
Speaking during a debate at the monthly meeting of Louth County Council, Cllr Godfrey said he would like to see The Butter Gate ‘ brought back to its former glory’.
He noted that €25,000 had been allocated to Drogheda for work on its walls and commented that it seemed like ‘a very small amount of money for the town walls.’
Cllr Pio Smith had wanted to know if the steps which had been erected without planning permission, had been removed. A council official confirmed that the steps had been removed.
Responding to comments about the removal of the steps, Cllr said it was some of his ‘foot soldiers’ who had been involved and argued that it was on private land.
Chief Executive Ms Joan Martin chided him, saying she’d had a long conversation with him.
‘I am astonished that he would ask questions about the Butter Gate in this chamber.’
The concrete block steps were erected at the Butter Gate, a listed structure, whichwas one of the ten gates that protected the town in medieval times, earlier in the year. A group of local volunteers carried out a clean up of the area and the steps were erected.
However, this work was carried out without the authorisation of the Council and the site was inspected by the National Monuments Service.
The Butter Gate is listed as a Protected Structure under the Louth County Development Plan 2015-2021, and at the time a council spokesperson said that it was ‘requested by the Department to immediately fence off the monument to prohibit access on both archaeological and health and safety grounds.’