Representatives of all 32 Drogheda Implementation Board member organisations came together on Friday 13th in the Barbican Centre, Drogheda to review progress on action delivery, mark the achievements of Drogheda Implementation Board structures to date and plan for the future.
The 45 members in attendance continued the collegial, enthusiastic and committed approach to the work of the Drogheda Implementation Board that has been central to the delivery of actions listed in the Drogheda Implementation Plan since the establishment of the Board by the Department of Justice in October 2021. The positive energy in the room reflected that of all four previous Plenary sessions, which bring together members of all structures of the Board, with no sense of a waning commitment to Drogheda.
Members were updated on progress relating to actions in the Drogheda Report Implementation Plan since the last Plenary session held at the beginning of this year and noted that a significant amount of progress has been made across a wide variety of actions. Examples include:
- Action 2.9: Expansion of An Garda Síochána South Louth jurisdiction to include the South of Drogheda (e.g Dublin Road/Grange Rath area)
- Actions 3.1, 3.2 and 3.5: HSE have secured funding for Red Door staff posts to the end of 2026
- Action 4.3: Louth Local Development have taken on a lease from Louth County Council to open a Community House in Rathmullen.
- Actions 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7: A number of direct community engagement projects have been delivered including the Southside Voices and This is Our Place initiatives, which will continue into the long term with support from organisations such as Louth Local Development
- Action 5.6: Resources provided to Louth ABC so that they can deliver Early Talk Boost to 13 early learning centres in Drogheda
- Action 10.5: Drogheda Digital Innovation Hub programme manager in place and Boyne Innovate Programme up and running
- Actions 7.1, 7.3, 7.5: Sport Ireland provide funding for three years to delivery Meath and Louth Local Sports Partnership’s Driving Change Through Sport project
- Actions 11.3-11.5: Louth Local Development secure contract from HSE to establish Drogheda Traveller Primary Healthcare Unit
Other developments such as the launch of the Southside Pride of Place mural in Rathmullen, launch of Boomerang Youth Centre and Café Strategic Plan and production of Family Addiction Support Network Strategic Plan, all funded through Drogheda Implementation Board was noted.
In reviewing action delivery to date members noted that over €21m in additional services and more than 50 new staffing resources have been committed to Drogheda as a result of the Drogheda Report Implementation Plan from across a wide variety of Government Departments; Statutory Bodies and other agencies. They further noted that the vast majority of actions have been progressed as far as they can be within the structures of the Board and made recommendations as to how actions might be carried forward in the longer term. They also reviewed the status of delivery of the Drogheda Report Implementation Plan in the context of the two general headings within that document (see below). Member assessment of these can be seen in the below graphs.
- the need for improved interagency cooperation
- the need to resource services or provide additional services for the area
The meeting concluded with closing remarks from Chair of the Drogheda Implementation Board, Michael Keogh who thanked all members of the Drogheda Implementation Board structures for their continued commitment and enthusiasm and stressed the importance of ensuring that the successes achieved to date in terms of staffing resources and investment in services continue to have a Drogheda focus into the future. Michael also paid tribute to the contribution and dedication of Grainne Berrill, Coordinator to the Drogheda Implementation Board over the last three years and wished her well in her new position as Head of the National Office for Community Safety Partnerships in the Department of Justice.
Click here to read Department of Justice press release regarding this appointment.
