An attempt by Louth County Council to annexe part of Meath has failed, much to the approval of East Meath Fianna Fáil Councillor, Stephen McKee. The area in question that Louth County Council was attempting to acquire was immediately south of east Drogheda Town. The publication of the Drogheda Boundary Review proposed no change in the county boundaries which means Meath will continue to benefit from commercial rates from business in this area.
McKee, is now calling for greater investment from Meath County Council into this area of Meath following this decision. McKee stated: ‘I was happy to make a submission to the Drogheda Boundary Review Committee on behalf of local residents opposing the plan to move parts of County Meath into County Louth for a number of reasons including the fact that many families in this area have a close tie to County Meath in terms of sending their children to schools such as Donacarney and Gaelscoil An Bhradain Feasa, and the strong connections to Meath Gaelic Football through St.Colmcille’s GAA Club.
‘It is also clear that in recent times, Meath County Council have put some energy and resources into improving the commercial and business growth of the area that has seen new jobs come to the area with the recent announcement at Boann Distillery and Boyne Brewhouse near Platin of the creation of 80 new jobs. We also have the local success story of Coca-Cola coming to Southgate Shopping Centre and the new businesses that are flourishing there. These are further reasons why I supported the retention of the County boundary as it is.’
‘Nevertheless, it is also clear that residents in the general East Meath area to include the Coastal area are frustrated at what they perceive as neglect. Bettystown, with disastrous planning decisions in the past that has seen housing estates built on floodplains, is a case in point. On the Dublin Road, households in Grange Rath alone will pay over €300,000 in 2016 to the Revenue authorities for Local Property Tax and though I was happy to help deliver new bus bays outside the estate working with Meath County Council, residents are still awaiting a footpath to connect to the local Gaelscoil.’
‘There is a general sense that Meath County Council are happy to use the large population of East Meath to generate tax incomes yet we have to fight tooth and nail to get basic funding for services in our area. Meath County Council now need to step up to the plate and provide further investment in the basic services that the large local population need and deserve as hard-working taxpayers’ concluded McKee.
The decision to carry out a review of the Boundaries was made by the then Minister of Environment Alan Kelly in 2015.

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