Public meeting tonight over South Roscommon 'land grab'

A public meeting is taking place in Athlone tonight (Monday) to oppose areas of South Roscommon being redesignated as part of County Westmeath.

The meeting is being held in the Athlone Springs Hotel in Monksland and starts at 8pm.

It is being organised by 'Save Roscommon' a new group which said it was set up 'to stop State-sanctioned plans to annex a large part of South Roscommon and hand it over to County Westmeath.'

A controversial Athlone boundary review was ordered by Environment Minister Alan Kelly last June, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of March.

The 'Save Roscommon' group is concerned that changes to the existing boundary could see County Roscommon losing up to 7,000 people – 10 per cent of its total population - to County Westmeath.

The group said tonight's public meeting would 'provide a forum for residents of the affected area to discuss implications of the proposal and air their concerns as well as give guidance to those who wish to have their voices heard by government and have the controversial plan thrown out.'