Statement on Varadkar’s visit
4 March 2019
I will work with anyone of goodwill to do what’s best for Drogheda, regardless of party, but we can be forgiven for treating this government’s pledges to our town with serious skepticism.
Why? This government fudged the boundary review which could prove to be a fatal blow to our ambitions for Drogheda.
Just over two years ago, this government’s published draft national plan failed to mention Drogheda even once.
In a political response to a grassroots campaign, the ‘development centre’ concept was invented to give Drogheda the impression that it wasn’t being ignored any longer.
Drogheda’s status as a ‘development centre’ is a statement of the blindingly obvious and has little significance in the scheme of things.
That status hasn’t delivered a single job. It hasn’t built a single road or a single house that would not have otherwise been built.
As a confidence building measure, Fine Gael and the Independents should support Labour’s Bill that would restore the Borough Council to our town. Only then will I start to take the Taoiseach’s words seriously.
Ends.