Louth County Council urged to heed concerns over Simon plans for Dundalk

An appeal has been made to Louth County Council to listen to concerns of residents and business owners in the Quay Street area of Dundalk, in relation to plans by the Dublin Simon Community to build 21 apartments at Barrack St.

This follows a public meeting where householders and business owners spoke of how they have been living a nightmare over the last few years, dealing with anti-social behaviour, including open drug dealing and drug taking on a daily basis.

Fine Gael Councillor for Dundalk South, Cllr Robert Nash has called on Louth County Council to listen to residents in the Quay area, who have once again raised serious concerns over a resubmission of Dublin Simon Community for planning permission for 21 one-bedroom apartments on the site of the old labour exchange building in Barrack Street.

After attending a recent meeting for concerned residents, Cllr Nash described how householders and business owners in the area have been living a nightmare over the last few years, dealing with anti-social behaviour on a daily basis, as well as open drug dealing and drug taking becoming the norm outside people's houses and businesses.

The Fine Gael councillor told the Dundalk Democrat that residents in the area have become frustrated over the lack of consultation between themselves and Louth County Council, as well as Dublin Simon Community, and despite regular calls to Dundalk Garda Station, the situation has not improved.

Cllr Nash feels that not enough is being done to protect these people and their voices continue to be ignored, and that this latest planning submission is another blow to residents in the Quay area who lodged over 50 submissions last year in objection to a previous similar development at Barrack Street, which was subsequently withdrawn.

“These people's voices need to be heard”, said Cllr Nash, “it is simply not fair for people in planning and other organisations to make decision which do not directly affect themselves but will negatively impact others.”

Cllr Nash explained, “we have two issues at present. The first is the fact that the present Simon facility in Barrack Street appears to be failing in its responsibility to fellow residents in the area.”

Cllr Nash said that he does not accept that anti-social behaviour happening outside the current Simon facility is a matter for An Garda Síochána, rather than the facility itself, and feels that Gardai figures for responses to incidents in the area are frightening.

“The figures are there”, said Cllr Nash, “they cannot be ignored. I feel that the Gardai need to raise their own concerns over a new facility. The present model is not working and needs to be addressed before anymore expansion.”

He continued: “The second issue, which is the plan for a new similar development in the area, is one which has caused much annoyance to residents and business owners alike.

Cllr Nash said that one resident claimed, “they have destroyed our street already, and they won't be happy until we are all forced to move out. We are going through hell on a daily basis and nobody seems to care”.

The Fine Gael councillor said that he hopes to meet with senior Gardai officials and representatives for concerns residents in the next number of weeks, in a bid to combat these ongoing issues, and hopes that a request to meet senior management in Louth County Council and Dublin Simon Community, which have previously been ignored he added, will finally be facilitated.

“I cannot stand idly by and allow the soul of the good people of the Quay be destroyed”, Cllr Nash added. “These people have been ignored and neglected over the last number of years, and they feel let down. It is my job to raise these concerns and represent the people who elected me. We need to stop and pause, engage with residents, hear their concerns, find possible solutions before it's too late.”