Proposed city limit boundary changes outined at meeting

THE implications for rural towns in Cork county of Cork City Council’s proposition to implement the findings of the recently published McKinnor Report to extend the city limits to include major areas of the county such as Ballincollig, Glanmire and Blarney, were starkly outlined at a meeting in the Charleville Park Hotel last week.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Ian Doyle, Charleville and attended by councillors from the Fermoy Municipal area and Michael Moynihan, T.D., who heard Alf Smiddy, the author

Mr. Smiddy said that this would have a devastating effect on towns in North, East and West Cork, which would suffer a reduction in the services they currently enjoy and into the future, and roads, footpaths, children’s playgrounds, lighting, security cameras and other services would suffer due to the lack of funding. If the boundary extension goes ahead the €87million would be diverted by the City Council to shore up services in Cork City centre and it amounts to a land and rates grab by the City Council.

“There are major issues in Cork city centre as people are no longer going in there to shop with the resultant fall-off in revenue and they are looking to use the rates base to sort out the city problems. This plan has been approved both by Fine of the rejected Statutory Report commissioned by the government, which recommended the integration of Cork City and Cork County Councils into one administrative body, say that it would cost the county in the region of €87million in lost rates.

Gael Minister, Simon Coveney and Fianna Fail Leader, Miceál Martin. There has been no consultation with the people or with councillors to discuss the implications for the region and the author of the report Mr. McKinnon is nowhere to be seen,” he said.

“But towns like Charleville, Fermoy, Youghal, Mallow, Mitchelstown, Millstreet, Newmarket, Kanturk and those in west Cork will be badly affected and people should contact their public representatives and make their feelings known as a matter of urgency,” said Mr. Smiddy.

The chairman of the North Cork IFA committee Billy Cotter said that farmers of the region were opposed to the boundary extension, a view endorsed by other councillors present.

Ned O’Keeffe, Cllr Ian Doyle, Cllr Deirdre O’Brien and Tom Maguire of Doneraile Development Association at the meeting on the Cork City boundary extension at Charleville.

Sr Bernadette Maria and Sr. Regina with Cllr Ian Doyle at the meeting to discuss the Cork City boundary extension at the Charleville Park Hotel.