The Drogheda Implementation Board, which was established in October 2021 as the core driver of change recommended in the Drogheda Plan is coming to the end of its remit shortly and in due course it will hand over its responsibilities to the newly appointed Louth Local Community Safety Partnership.

When she was in Drogheda yesterday (Monday 7^th October) Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee T.D., confirmed that the Drogheda Implementation Board will continue its work over the coming months as the new permanent Louth Local Community Safety Partnership is established.

She also announced the appointment of Mr. Ciaran Reid as Chairperson of the Louth Community Safety Partnership as part of the national roll out of these new structures which will empower communities to implement new initiatives to improve local safety and to hold service providers to account on agreed actions.

Speaking at the event Mr Reid said: “The model of working established by the Drogheda Implementation Board will underpin the new Community Safety Partnership in Louth and I am looking forward to working closely with the Board over the next period to build out this model of best practice at County level.”

The Chair of the Drogheda Implementation Board, Michael Keogh, responded by congratulating Ciaran on his appointment, wishing him well in his new role and looking forward to working with him over the coming months as the Community Safety Partnership in Louth is established.

Mr. Keogh thanked the Minister, her Government colleagues and local representatives for their support over the last three years and paid tribute to all members of the Board and sub groups of the Board for their personal commitment and dedication to progressing the actions in the plan.

The Minister was told yesterday that 70 additional staff posts have been created in Drogheda to provide additional services identified in the plan, alongside over €21m committed in funding either in supporting these posts or in large scale capital projects.

Members of the Implementation Board such as Martin O’Brien, Chief Executive of LMETB, Louise Mahony Manager of the Red Door Project, Maeve Harkin, Social Inclusion Manager with Louth Local Development and Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern all referenced the expansion of services in Drogheda since October 2021 and the importance of the increased level of interagency cooperation facilitated by the Board’s structures.

Areas highlighted included additional community development resources; the capacity of the Red Door Project to provide a wide range of supports to people with substance use issues, and their families; additional vocational and tertiary education opportunities; and enhanced collaboration and coordination from a Garda perspective.

To find out more about the work of the Drogheda Implementation Board visit www.droghedaimplementationboard.ie