PART OF NORTH CORK JUST WENT SOUTH
“NOBODY saw this coming” is how one Mallow/ Kanturk county councillor described the proposed local electoral area boundary changes, while others have expressed ‘shock’, disbelief and anger.
The plans were unveiled last week and the proposed changes would see large swathes of Western Duhallow – such as Millstreet, Kiskeam, Ballydesmond, Cullen, Kilcorney, Rathcoole and Banteer – taken out of the Kanturk/Mallow district. These regions of north Cork would effectively move south into the Macroom area.
At Monday’s northern area meeting of the council, Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF) called for a suspension of standing orders to raise the issue, saying it was clear those responsible for redrawing the municipal district boundaries “clearly knew nothing about rural Cork”.
“These areas have always been a part of Duhallow ... In my view, the people who draw up these boundary changes have never been beyond the Red Cow Roundabout,” said a visibly angry Cllr Moynihan. And he wasn’t alone in his viewpoint.
Cllr Timmy Collins said it made no sense while Cllr John Paul O’Shea (FG) said it was unfortunate there was no appeals process in place to challenge the changes.
Meanwhile, Cllr Gearoid Murphy said he was “shocked” by the proposal, pointing out that it went against the Council’s own recommendations.
A FURIOUS Cork County Councillor has expressed his “bitter disappointment” at proposed changes to local electoral areas that would see areas in Western Duhallow fall under the authority’s Macroom area of operations.
Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF) called for a suspension of standing orders at this week’s northern area meeting to raise the issue, saying it was clear that those responsible for redrawing the municipal district boundaries “clearly knew nothing about rural Cork”.
He pointed out that under the proposed changes large swathes of Western Duhallow affected by the proposed changes, including Millstreet, Kiskeam, Ballydesmond, Cullen, Kilcorney, Rathcoole and Banteer, would be taken out of the Kanturk/Mallow district.
“I was bitterly disappointed when I saw these proposed changes. These areas have always been a part of Duhallow but under the proposed changes would be moved to Macroom in Muskerry. Nobody saw this coming. In my view, the people who draw up these boundary changes have never been beyond the Red Cow Roundabout,” said a visibly angry Cllr Moynihan.
He said he was concerned that moving these areas into another district and leaving them without an area office in Millstreet would impact on funding streams to what he described as being among “the most structurally weak areas in Cork County.”
“These areas have no tourism and depend solely on the Council for funding. They are fighting for survival and will be without an area office. The people living in these areas are very angry and I want assurances that the funding for communities in Western Duhallow through schemes run out of the Millstreet office will blocked off,” said Cllr Moynihan.
Cllr Timmy Collins said it made no sense to have an area office for one area operating out of s different electoral area and that it was vitally important that the people of Western Duhallow lost none of their entitlements in the future as a result of the proposed boundary change.
“The people of Millstreet are entitled to their area office,” he added.
Cllr John Paul O’Shea (FG) said it was unfortunate there was no appeals process in place to challenge the proposed recommendation.
“Millstreet is very much linked with north Cork and it is very important that the area remains well served by the council,” he said.
Cllr Gearoid Murphy said he was “shocked” by the proposal, pointing out that it went against the Council’s own recommendations.
“Since founding of the Council in 1898 Millstreet has always been included in the Kanturk area. There is no reason this should always continue, but there was no indication this was coming and no reason given for the change,” he said.
He said that while nothing had been formally decided, it was “vitally important” that the current level of services offered to local communities in Western Duhallow was maintained.
Describing the proposal as “disappointing”, Cllr Gerard Murphy (FG) said it was his understanding it had been made in an attempt to adjust the quota system.
“However, that will be irrelevant to the people of Western Duhallow. That said, I am quite confident that council officials will come up with an adequate system to ensure Western Duhallow remains as well served as it has been and that its communities get the funding they are entitled to,” he said.
The acting northern area divisional manager, Louis Duffy, conceded that the Boundary Commission recommendation, should it be adopted, would “present the council with changes.”
“This report has only been produced recently and we will have to look at how we adapt the management of the area to take account of it. We have faced this issue in other areas and have dealt with it quite effectively,” said Mr Duffy.
“We will have to look at the overall report and adapt accordingly, which will take some time to do,” he added.