Dear Madam,

Drogheda and Meath East is an agglomeration and as such should be recognised as one large urban area with the need for its own administration and control. A contiguous urban area which shares a population and resources should not have split representation in the Dail.

Drogheda Meath East is the fastest growing urban area in Ireland, with a shared, merging population of 67000 people. Many State bodies and organisations already view this as one large metropolitan area including An Post, HSE, LMETB, Fire and Ambulance Services, Irish Water, NTA etc. Meath East became part of the Louth constituency in the last review in recognition of the agglomeration, acknowledging it as one natural catchment from both an economic and community perspective.

The Drogheda Meath East area has not done well being part of the bigger Louth constituency and I urge you to create a constituency consisting of South Louth Drogheda East Meath for the benefit of all the citizens in these areas.

An area of this population size needs local, focused representation.

The Commission should consider a new ‘Boyneside’ constituency – a 4 seater made up of Drogheda Meath East and South Louth taking in coastal East Meath along with Julianstown, Duleek, Donore and right around to Tullyallen, Collon, Monasterboice, Sandpit, Termonfeckin and Clogherhead. These areas form the hinterland of Drogheda and the residents of these areas depend on Drogheda for many aspects of day to day living including healthcare, education, employment, shopping, transport, leisure etc. The population including these areas is conservatively 90000, which meets the criteria for a 4 seater constituency.

Yours sincerely,

Sylvia McCann