THE idea of the crisis public meeting was to give the business people of the town a voice, and to have the ears of those who represent them.

All members of Drogheda Borough Council had been invited, as well as Louth TDs, Senators, and Justice Minister Dermot Ahern, who was unable to attend.

A microphone was passed through the audience for those with a suggestion, comment or opinion, but councillors were asked not to participate, just listen.

First to her feet was Mary Dunne, who spoke for the owners of Seamus Dunne Fish Merchants in Stockwell Street.

'The pedestrianisation work in West Street caused many businesses to close or was a huge expense to traders, as there was no access for so long.

'I may only know the problems and not have any solutions, but something drastic has to be done,' she said.

Owner of Stockwell Artisan Foods Gwen Fearon thinks people need to think outside the box and find other ways to improve business beside worry about rates.

'The Thursday market has been creating a great buzz in the town and we need to build on the fact that people have been coming into the town to shop,' she pointed out.

'If we had a little bit more upbeat days like that, it could help in a bigger way, and I think looking at giving busking licences would be great too.'

Taxi driver David Faulkner took the opportunity of the local councillors being present to condemn the pedestrianisation attempt and the traffic management system.

' What was done to West ruined the town,' he said angrily.

'The traffic management is a farce, and I am fighting a parking ticket I got recently whilst trying to help someone to shop in the town centre. It's a joke.'

Owner of Redz Tony Ward deflected criticism away from the councillors with his attack on the banks.

'The banks are bleeding businesses dry, or threatening them with foreclosure, while they have increased their business margin by 400%,' he said.

'It's terrible and when they say they are open for business, you know your proposal won't even make it past the front desk, so will never even register in their statistics.'

Owen Fox, whose family have been in the jewellery business in Shop Street for years, brought up the thorny issue of the tourist office, and lack of tourist facilities.

'The first thing we need is a central tourist office - one that people can find - and then clean up our act, especially

Street the Battle of the Boyne site which is a disgrace, and then scrap the ridiculous toll to get into Drogheda,' he said.

Peter Kierans of Anglo Printers picked up that final theme, calling the toll 'a disgrace'.

'Why tax people for coming into the town?' he asked.

'The chamber need to get behind this next time, and the councillors, bar Ken O'Heiligh, sat back and let this happen.

'It's time they got up off their arses and help the business people of the town.'

Veteran businessman and jeweller Bernard English said there was a lot of frustrated traders in town but he already knows the problems that lie ahead with elected representatives.

'They don't make the decisions, consultants do,' he pointed out wearily.

'The Bacon Report on Drogheda, carried out when Hubert Tully was chamber president, is probably still gathering dust on a shelf.

'We asked for 1,100 car spaces within walking distance of West Street; we told them not to reduce West Street to one lane of traffic.

'Put the two lanes back again, one for traffic, one for taxis, buses and bikes, and get West Street flowing again.'

Peter McCloskey, who is trying to develop a HSE clinic in Narrow West Street said he would like to see the markets enclosed.

'I would advocate an enclosed market like the English Market in Cork, and we should also look at shops providing listening devices so tourists could follow guided tours and trails,' he suggested.

Impresario Tommy Leddy pointed out that he is bringing at least 5,000 people to the town after Easter for the Irish National Guitar Festival, and other businesses should 'jump on his bandwagon'.

'I've just taken a booking from 32 people coming from Scotland, who will all be taking hotel rooms, and we need to make the most of that kind of event here in Drogheda,' he told the packed meeting.

Engineer Eddie Phelan, who is also on the local Tidy Towns Committee made one of the most damning observations of the evening.

'We have won two gold medals in the competition, however, on the two visits the judges made to the town, the first time they couldn't find the tourist office, and the second time it was closed,' he told the audience.

Chamber President Patricia Rooney kept a tight control on proceedings, wrapping up the meeting as promised at 9pm, with the words 'Get up off your backsides, get your boots on and play for your own team.'

- Alison COMYN