Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach was in Drogheda last Friday and, among others, he met with the Love Drogheda Business Improvement District, BID, scheme group. It represents more than 1,500 ratepayers in the town. The group provided the Taoiseach with new and robust economic research data that show the full impact on the local economy and local jobs of the loss of the D Hotel in Drogheda to the tourism sector. The evidence is now in black and white and it is quite stark and concerning. There will be a direct annual loss or impact on Drogheda of €6.16 million and an indirect impact of €15.8 million. This is stark, as I said, and this analysis is being shared with the three local TDs. Last week, the Taoiseach said that he would organise for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Peter Burke, to meet the group in June to discuss the report. It is a report that needs to be taken very seriously. We need investment now to counter the loss of jobs and business to Drogheda as a result of the loss of the D Hotel and to address dereliction and regenerate the town.

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