2023 in review - Looking back on September in Louth

September 5th 2023

A large crowd gathered at the Market Square in Dundalk on Saturday 2 September, to watch the 27th Infantry Battalion mark its 50th Anniversary, with a parade.

Soldiers from 27th Infantry Battalion departed from the Barrack Street Gate at Aiken Barracks on Saturday morning and marched to the Market Square.

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Over €9.5 million has been paid out to legal representatives in Louth under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme over the last five years.

The figures released to the Dundalk Democrat by the Department of Justice showed a total of €4,404,143 was paid out at the Circuit Court level in Louth from the years 2018-2022.

Meanwhile, €5,181,096 was paid out to solicitors and barristers at the District Court level in the county during the same period.

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The Louth Dáil constituency could see its population reduced by 11,501, with the Julianstown Electoral District moved to Meath East, should Commission's recommendations be adpoted.

September 12th 2023

Cllrs at the Dundalk Municipal District September meeting, were critical of how traffic was managed during road works in two parts of the region recently.

Traffic diversion routes that were put in place during the Lordship resurfacing works, were criticised with complaints from people in the area asking why hedges on the diversions roads had not been cut.

Recent works carried out by Uisce Éireann in Blackrock that had meant the closure of the road in the seaside village, were also raised,

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To ring in the new term Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) said it is "very excited" to have partnered with Dundalk Chamber of Commerce and local industry, to develop a Student Discount Scheme for 2023/2024.

The aim, DkIT says, is to create opportunities to better connect students with the local community.

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Louth County Council gave the go ahead for the redevelopment of the old St Mary's College in Dundalk into a residential development of 57 new apartments.

September 19th 2023

Louth County Councillors voted to leave the Local Property Tax (LPT) rate for 2024 unchanged, following a recommendation by the Council Executive to increase the basic rate by 15%.

Councillors had earlier in the Louth County Council September meeting, voted to agree to adopt the Draft Development Contibution Scheme 2023, which would mean an increase in Development Contribution charges for residential developments to €11,646 per residential unit.

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Garda Anthony Golden and Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, were among over 1,800 Garda personnel who died whilst in service over 100 years, to be commemorated by name on the Garda Monument of Remembrance at Garda Headquarters.

September 26 2023

The proposed new operating model, which would see the Louth Garda Division combined with the Cavan-Monaghan Division, was heavily criticised at a public meeting of the Dundalk Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

In light of the meeting, it was decided that the Dundalk JPC would write a letter of opposition to the Minister and the commissioner expressing concern with the changes.

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The 2023 Green Flag Awards were announced by An Taisce Environmental Education, recognizing Ireland’s best managed public parks and green spaces, with Louth County Council celebrating its seventh successive annual win, as four parks in Louth receive Green Flags.

The parks in Louth that secured Green Flag Awards are: Blackrock Community Park; Ice House Hill Park; St Helena Park; and Saint Dominic’s Park.

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Louth County Councillors voted overwhelmingly to ratify a proposal for an extension of the Business Improvement District Scheme (BIDS) for Dundalk for a further five years at the local authority's September meeting, with councillors speaking in glowing terms of the work that has been done in the town to date under the scheme, by Town Centre Commercial Manager, Martin McElligott and the BIDS team.