Labour TD Ged Nash has accused the government of a “dereliction of duty” in Drogheda by failing to tackle an epidemic of crumbling and neglected vacant properties. 

Deputy Nash TD said: “This government’s singular failure to tackle the blight of dereliction in our town is a dereliction of its own duty towards the people of Drogheda and elsewhere. 

“A Parliamentary Question I tabled to the Minister for Housing and Local Government has revealed that a working group established by the government three years ago to tackle dereliction met three times in 2022 and since then, its recommendations have been sitting on a shelf and gathering dust. 

The Louth Labour TD added: “It’s not good enough for the government to pass the buck to local authorities here. It has its own responsibilities to tackle dereliction and it has been found wanting in Drogheda and across the State, whether that’s the operation of the 1990 Derelict Sites Act, or the inadequate resources given to the local Council to purchase properties and out them back to good use. 

“It’s more evidence, if evidence were needed of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael neglect in the largest town in Ireland, and their prioritisation of propertied interests over the common good. 

Deputy Nash continued: “The government cannot continue to act like a bystander in this issue. It must refocus the derelict sites laws to put the public interest ahead of the interest of wealthy property developers. 

“There is a groundswell of concern growing in our town around the dereliction of Drogheda and we are not prepared to watch this crisis deepen. 

“It is time for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to tackle the blight of dereliction in our town for once and for all or face the judgement of Drogheda voters in the next General Election.” 

Deputy Nash concluded: “The Taoiseach has postponed a planned meeting I organised with Drogheda BIDS recently. That meeting will now take place on the 16^th July and he should meet the Mayor too. 

“The Taoiseach Simon Harris will be made fully aware of the anger on the ground in our town at the neglect and foot dragging it has seen under his government.”