Local Fianna Fáil Senator Alison Comyn and Cllr James Byrne are working with Louth-based intercultural community group Culture Connect to try and retain €200,000 funding received recently by the group, to renovate the former Drogheda Youth Development building in Narrow West Street.

The funding could now be put on hold whilst Louth County Council applies for larger funding to renovate the Westgate House and DYD building together, with plans to accommodate Culture Connect at a later stage.

However, the group, which is currently based in the Barbican Centre, Drogheda, and Bridge Street, Dundalk,  want to proceed with the original plan and move into their new home sooner rather than later.

“Culture Connect has been in temporary offices since they were founded 15 years ago, and they were overjoyed to be offered a lease on the old DYD building, as well as the Community Recognition Grant (CRF) funding last month for €200,000 to start work and move in,” explains Senator Comyn, who was contacted by founders Flora and Edward Okobi about their concerns.

“They are worried they may now have to wait years to get a new home for their members, and even then, there is no guarantee where they will be accommodated in the new complex.”

Louth County Council intends to apply for a share of the €7.5m Thrive Regeneration Fund in April, with plans to combine the DYD building and Westgate House into one building complex.

The team has met with Culture Connect executives, saying they would write to CRF to hold off the €200,000 grant for six months to see the outcome of their funding application.

“While Culture Connect is waiting, they would be housed in the former Dominican Priory building for approximately six months, with a view to moving into the Westgate House part of the complex, while the DYD part would accommodate a drama/theatre group,” adds Senator Comyn.

“This is not what the group had wanted, and wish to stay with the current plans for their intercultural centre.”

Since 2015, Culture Connect has been in discussion with Louth County Council for the possible use of the DYD building for their work in the Drogheda and Dundalk communities.

Councillors approved the disposal of the DYD building under Section 183 to Culture Connect CLG in November 2024, but now this new development goes against everything they’d hoped for and dreamed of.

“We at Culture Connect are deeply pained to hear that the Thrive Regeneration team is presenting a new plan to move us away from this dream intercultural centre. This is not a welcome development, as we believe it will greatly disrupt our work and could take up to three years to get into the “new complex” and we also fear we may lose the DYD building to a different group,” said Flora Okobi.

“You can imagine the disappointment to hear that the council proposes to halt the use of the approved grant of €200,000 to seek funding to revamp both the DYD and Westgate buildings, and if they succeed, we will have to vacate the DYD building for repair works, only to be allowed to return, not to the DYD side of the new complex, but to the rear of the Westgate side of the new project”.

Co-founder Edward Okobi says this new plan will not give enough floor space for their work. “We believe this will in effect take away from Culture Connect what has been promised to us, to be now assigned to another,” he said.

“We do not believe this new plan is to our favour, as it will significantly disrupt our operations and reduce our leverage for enhanced community impact”.

Cllr James Byrne raised the concerns at the February meeting of Louth County Council and was told that officials feel it would be more beneficial to everyone if the extra funding was secured.­

“The council feels that if they are successful with the €7m Thrive funding application for the two buildings, the DYD building will be in a much better state,” adds Cllr Byrne. “If they are not successful, they say the 25 year lease will proceed as planned.”