Joint meeting of coastal councils as Louth and Meath come together to discuss mutual issues

The urgent need for a full time Garda station in Laytown and an update on the Drogheda Implementation Board were among the items discussed at a joint meeting of the Laytown/Bettystown Municipal Area and Drogheda Borough councils.

Identifying a green space to create tree planting corridors between both counties, a joint campaign to tackle dog fouling on the Boyne Greenway, a bulk waste collection day and flooding remedial works across both districts were also discussed.

Councillors were given an update on the Safe School Routes including ongoing works in Donacarney, Eastham Road and Whitefield Manor to Donacarney School.

Cathaoirleach of the Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District, Cllr Elaine McGinty has welcomed progress on a number of key shared issues.

“I was delighted to welcome councillors from the Borough District of Drogheda to the meeting in Duleek.

“My hope for this process and future meetings is that we work together as councillors to visibly improve our areas.

“For too long, the narrative and engagement between our districts has been divisionary, marked by an invisible county boundary. The truth is that as neighbours we all use the same public services, roads, schools and hospitals and represent neighbouring communities and we all want our areas to reach their full potential.

“I wish to thank both Meath and Louth County Councils for their commitment to this process and in particular their contributions on making the Green Kilometre initiative launched at our last meeting such a success. “We saw communities, schools, businesses and Tidy Town groups join together and collect over 450 bags of litter. I am delighted to hear that this will become an annual event between both counties.

“Following on from this I have also requested that issues in relation to the environment and climate change be included in all meetings going forward.” Councillors heard that The Boyne Greenway between Drogheda and Mornington is progressing and it is expected that the application for a Greenway between Navan and Oldbridge will be completed and submitted to An Board Pleanala within the year.

“On the Joint Urban Transport Plan we heard that both executives have been working together on this and it will form part of the Joint Local Area Plan which will finally be forthcoming later this year,” said Cllr McGinty.

“Over the last 20 years both areas have seen an unprecedented growth in housing and population. The demands for public services and infrastructure have not kept pace. These meetings are about addressing these issues and delivery by working together for both our areas.

“We have all learnt over the last few years how important community and good neighbours are. We are good neighbours, and we must work together to unlock the potential of both of our areas,” she said.