Vivian Geiran

He will carry out a scoping exercise to assess the impact that criminal activity in Drogheda is having on the community and make recommendations for action going forward.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said: “The scoping exercise will gather and assess information relating to the ongoing challenges and needs experienced by communities in Drogheda, and identify opportunities to connect, support and strengthen services, including those for young people, in the area.

“Mr Geiran will look at the areas of community safety, policing, the impact of substance abuse, and drug-debt intimidation, but also at community development needs, the existing service landscape, including facilities for families and children’s services, the physical environment, and education and employment opportunities.”

She added: “The exercise is due to begin in the coming weeks and will take between six and ten weeks to complete, during which time Mr Geiran will be gathering information and assessing the scale and nature of the problem there in order to map the services available and identify any gaps.

“Mr Geiran will engage with residents, service providers including An Garda Síochána, businesses and other members of the community and draw on their local knowledge and understanding of the problems to identify key opportunities for action.

“The issues in Drogheda have on occasion spilled over into neighbouring areas, such as Bettystown and Laytown, and where relevant to the scoping exercise, they will be taken into account.

“I look forward to this work being completed quickly so that we can move ahead and take all necessary action.”