Such a scheme has a lot of merit, he says. It would allow local elderly folk to stay where they are content and happy among neighbours and friends and close to family and in homes that they can keep much easier.

In many instances, they would be glad to downsize, especially if they are on their own or couples whose families have moved on in life. Moving into a retirement village would offer them the support of residing beside others but in separate units of their own in a secure environment which are reasonably priced, in probably a gated community with facilities.

This would have the dual benefit of freeing up larger houses for bigger and likely younger families in the area, who are in need of homes which are quite hard to come by, points out Mr McGuinness.

“I want to push the idea, and will ask Louth County Council to zone certain lands for a proper residential area for the elderly. An awful lot of people are very interested. A lot don’t wish to go into residential homes.’”

Mr McGuinness, who is seeking a seat on Louth County Council in the Dundalk South district in the forthcoming elections, understands there would be a willingness among some land owners who possess a portion of the limited land bank in the Blackrock area to consider selling a site specifically for a retirement complex.

“It is something I’m definitely going to raise with the Minister for Housing and with the county Council with the next Development Plan up for review.”

He elaborated: “I think there should be such a complex in Blackrock where people can live in their own area where they were brought up or have lived happily for a long time among neighbours and friends and where they want to stay. The area is crying out for it.”

Mr McGuinness feels it’s immaterial whether the scheme is privately or publicly built, once the housing is affordable and properly maintained.

He envisages a complex comprising two bedroom bungalows, costing something in the order of €170,000 to €180,000. The centre would have the like of a hairdressers and a shop, and be close to the village, where the residents could go to shop and visit friends and family.

Mr McGuinness believes it is a project very suitable to Blackrock, and contains a potential big saving for Government of avoiding the necessity of elderly going into OPDs and the state footing the bill.

THE official launch of the new Haggardstown Heritage trail is to take place on Thursday week, April 18.

Work then will quickly commence on the trail, with the targeted start date next month. By the end of the year the project is expected to be near completed, with the final part to be finished next year.

The project has moved at a lightning pace, considering that it was only mooted before Christmas.

The allocation of €9,000 to the project by Louth County Council has enabled it to advance quickly from conception to soon to be a reality.

The all-in cost is €25,000.

CORPORATE support and encouragement from businesses within the community has played an important part in the development of the Tidy Towns concept and culture in Haggardstown.

Still a mere fledging organisation, the local group has made great strides with the improvements and appearance of the area, with a great community spirit engendered, to make the area as clean and tidy as possible.

This has been manifest in the regular clean-ups that are conducted by volunteers who commit as part of the group or when suits them patrol their neck of the community and remove rubbish and litter, and retain an enthusiasm to repeat their efforts, despite the sometimes demoralising total disregard for the environment and utterly selfish behaviour of louts who discard whenever and wherever all sort of unwanted materials and items.

It can be quite discouraging, but the local volunteers haven’t allowed it to be so.

The group as a whole has instead maintained a zeal to continue with improving the community for all who live there, and made it pleasing on the eye to those who visit and more attractive.

Fine examples are the new landmark signage and landscape features that have been created and installed at strategic locations, along with planters at St Fursey’s Church.

These initiatives wouldn’t have been possible to implement without the sponsorship and financial backing of local businesses.

It is a great boost to the Tidy Towns Group to maintain and re-double their efforts. It is more encouraging that the likes of WuXi have actually engaged in the work that the volunteers do, and employees devote a day annually to the task of cleaning litter in the area.

The company’s clean-up day this year is on Saturday next, and will be followed by refreshments in the Fairways Hotel for all who take part. The clean-up will commence at 10 a.m.

THE jackpot now stands at €7,600 in the Geraldines lottery. It was not claimed last week, with the numbers drawn being 18, 22, 30 and 31.

Two players selected three numbers to share the €200 prize. They were Mick Fee and Mary Matthews.