Neglected town gives plan wary welcome

JOE HERON is a little sceptical about his town of Monaghan being named as a priority area for development under the spatial strategy.

The Monaghan Chamber of Commerce executive director said there is a deep seated feeling among people in the town that they have been ignored by Government, not least because of the town and county’s historic lack of ministers to fight their corner around the Cabinet table.

For example, letters are regularly written to Government on decentralisation, the policy of moving agencies from Dublin to outlying regions. Given its location and history of food production, locating a cross-border food agency in the area seemed a good idea.