Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. This is a hugely important issue in my town, the area around Drogheda and the whole county. The latest census of population shows that Drogheda is now the biggest town in the country outside the major cities. The difference in population between Waterford city and Drogheda is less than 7,000, yet we have no proper local council and no local control, although there has been a huge influx of new citizens into the town. We have a huge need for housing and local infrastructure. We need the confidence of the people to be expressed through local democracy. The reforms which took place are not working. Power has moved from the borough council to the county council. That is no reflection on any of the wonderful officials who work in the county council, but it is a huge reflection on the lack of accountability and local control. We need control over planning and road infrastructure. We also need to invest more in town estates in the provision of footpaths and green spaces. We need more sports centres. Every single penny collected in property tax in Drogheda and district should be spent locally. Change is needed and it is happening, but there must be local control. That is the key point.

In its wisdom, the county council recently decided to spend €12 million on new local government offices in Drogheda. That money could be much better spent on infrastructure to improve estates and sports facilities. The town is crying out for investment and support. We have no IDA Ireland and no Enterprise Ireland office and no institute of technology. This week we have been told we are losing the Millmount development centre. Small as it is, it has the capacity to provide 24 hot desks for people who want to create their own businesses. Giving Drogheda city status is long overdue. It looks like, however, that we will not have a driving test centre, as I proposed some time ago, as there is some local political opposition to the site on which I thought we could work. We also have no local employment office. Decisions are made by people who do not live and work in Drogheda. I accept that the Minister is not in the job long and did not introduce the last item of legislation. It was introduced by another Government which we both supported. It was, however, wrong and does not work. We want local control and want it now.

I will speak for four minutes. The last time I spoke I was shut down because there was another Deputy who wanted to speak also. Narrow West Street in Drogheda is disintegrating and falling down. It is as if a bomb struck it. The town centre is dying because planning permission was given for out-of-town shopping centres, some of which are in the adjoining county. We need a rates base in Drogheda and to change the way things are done. A commission was set up to look at extending the borough boundaries, but the Minister had no influence on the decision. The recommendation was against increasing the capacity to govern locally. It was not a bad decision made by the Minister but a bad recommendation. Local government is not working and people are losing out. Everywhere I go they want to know what is being done and changing. Nothing is changing, apart from the population is getting bigger and demands are growing. I look forward to hearing the Minister's reply.

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