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THIS WEEK, CORK City Council voted unanimously to reject a proposal from the Cork County Council to take over a portion of its land, which would have seen the city’s population increase by almost a third.
Cork County Mayor Declan Hurley was not impressed. He said that the city had been given a “very generous proposal” and that he and other councillors were “disappointed by the obvious lack of adequate assessment and consideration” of the proposal.
In a heated statement this week, Hurley went further saying that government plans were “more reminiscent of a child’s scribble on a map than a logical, considered conclusion”.
Cork City Lord Mayor Tony Fitzgerald, however, said the plans weren’t ambitious enough. He told RedFM that the proposals from the county council were “limited” and would mean Cork gets left behind by cities such as Belfast.
So, what’s going on here? Why are Cork County and Cork City arguing over the boundary between the two?
In April 2017, a review commissioned by the Department of Housing the previous year was published.
Called the Report of the Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Cork, or the MacKinnon report, it was tasked with looking at the various options for the future geography for local government in Cork.
It highlights that Cork “cannot be complacent about its future”.
The report said: “Other city-regions in Ireland are making conscious preparations to grow, develop and respond to new opportunities, and they could potentially challenge Cork’s place as the natural location to act as a counter-weight to the Dublin area and eastern seaboard”.
Its chairperson Jim MacKinnon said: “We focused on what we regarded as the key question, namely what governance and delivery arrangements would best drive sustainable economic growth and strengthen Cork’s position as Ireland’s second city.
On balance we felt that an expanded city council offered the best solution. It provided a clearer identity for the structure of local government and a stronger focus on the needs and demands of the metropolitan area, including regeneration, while also recognising the specific service needs of rural areas.
The report proposes extending the current remit of the city council to include Ballincollig, Carrigrohane, Blarney, Glanmire, Carrigtwohill and Cork Airport, which would see the population of the city almost double to 225,000 people.
It also suggested a payment of €40 million from the city council to the county council to compensate for the loss of local tax revenue.
This expanded city would have a Cork Economic Development and Planning Board which acts as a “unified voice on strategic economic development, housing and infrastructure issues affecting the wider Cork area”.
All of these recommendations, the report says, should be in place so that “new local government structures can take office following the local elections scheduled for 2019″.
Just a few weeks after the publication of this report, Cork County Council put forth proposals that would see 31.95 sq km ceded to the city council.
While it offered areas such as Doughcloyne, Donnybrook Grange, Rochestown, Kilbarry and Kilcully, it did not include the above areas mentioned in the MacKinnon report.
Cork County Council said: “This is an 84.5% increase in the geographical size of the city to 69.76 sq km. As a comparator, Dublin City Council area is 115 sq km.
Cork City Council will be nearly two-thirds [the] size of Dublin City Council area. As a second city, this is a reasonable proposition. [There will be an] immediate population transfer of 39,258 to the city to make a city population of 164,915. This is a population increase of 31.2% immediately.
The county council also said that there would be an immediate transfer of commercial rates and local property tax to the city council to the tune of €16 million.
It added: “In proposing this alteration to the city boundary, the council is promoting a significant opportunity to grow a city that reflects the core principles of an urban city”.
Cork County Council issued a very strong statement towards the end of this week, where it was sharply critical of the MacKinnon report.
Mayor Declan Hurley said: “It is quite clear that whoever sketched the boundary line for the Mackinnon Committee has little or no knowledge of the geography of Cork.
Actually, it’s more reminiscent of a child’s scribble on a map than a logical, considered conclusion. It is a matter of complete wonder to me how anyone could believe that it would work in reality.
He said that communities in these areas would suffer from a reduction in funding, and said that for residents of Carrigtwohill to be regarded as city dwellers “is nothing short of a joke”.
“Except that this is no joking matter,” he said. “For businesses in Blarney to become city ratepayers is ridiculous. It’s simply madness.”
At a meeting of Cork city councillors during the week, a unanimous decision was made to reject the county council’s offer.
The limited areas on offer from the county council was cited as a chief cause, and councillors said failure to implement the full recommendations of the MacKinnon report would risk Cork being left behind.
The CEO of Cork City, Ann Doherty, took the move to issue her own statement on why following the proposals put forth by the county council would be a bad idea.
She said: “It has been made clear by the oversight group (to both Chief Executives) that it cannot accept alternative proposals that run contrary to the proposed broad boundary changes set out in the Report of the Expert Advisory Group”.
Doherty said that, with local elections coming in 2019, it was urgent to implement changes as soon as is possible as any delay would create a “degree of uncertainty and instability that would be damaging to both Cork city and county, and indeed beyond”.
Cork City Councillor Sean Martin told TheJournal.ie that the MacKinnon report is the “only show in town”.
“It’s about making Cork a global city,” he said. “What we want to see is the recommendations in that report implemented.”
Martin said that the offer on the table from the county was not “feasible” or “practical” and that both parties needed to work with the implementation teams to make the recommendations in the MacKinnon report a reality.
“My opinion is that everything else is a distraction,” he said. “The county has a stake in this, of course. The financial details have to be worked out. They have to be properly reimbursed.
This is not reinventing the wheel, it’s been done before. We’re batting for our side and they’re batting for theirs.
He added that he expected both councils to come together to find the best solution for the future of Cork.
Cork City councillors are keen to make sure the city and county is not left behind when it comes to future economic development.
Doherty said that the city’s path forward is contingent on having the “capacity, authority, and governance independence” it needs to grow and develop. She said that she feared that Cork could slip to become Ireland’s third or fourth tier city if changes are not made.
City Lord Mayor Tony Fitzgerald said that cities such as Belfast have a natural advantage over Cork because it is designated a global city. He added that Cork’s population would be one sixth less than the current population of Belfast in a decade’s time.
The MacKinnon report, however, has received the green light from Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy.
In the Dáil last month, he said that works were already underway to see its implementation.
He said: “The changes recommended by the Cork Expert Advisory Group report represent the most significant population transfer associated with a local government boundary extension in Ireland.
To ensure that the challenges of implementation are addressed effectively, an Implementation Oversight Group is to be established to oversee the process.
In response to a query from TheJournal.ie, the Department of Housing said: “The group’s first task is to present a detailed implementation plan by September 2017 and the chief executives of Cork City Council and Cork County Council will work with the group to develop detailed and comprehensive proposals for the boundary alteration and to ultimately implement agreed recommendations”.
In the terms of reference for this implementation group, it says that the group “shall provide such direction, guidance and advice to the local authorities… as it considers appropriate”.
Furthermore, it says that CEOs and staff at both councils are required to “cooperate fully” with the implementation group.
Responding to the city council’s rejection of its proposals, Cork County Mayor Declan Hurley said: “The elected members of Cork County Council are unanimous in their support for this offering and we believe that it represents a great opportunity to achieve a successful outcome for this issue and for Cork as a whole”.
On the topic of an implementation group, Hurley had reservations.
He said: “Its workings appear to run contrary to all commentary to date which emphasised that both the City and County should seek to reach agreement on the matter”.
I would stress that the county is only participating in the workings of the implementation group on a ‘without prejudice’ basis. We have been very clear in advising the implementation group that we will not be in a position to submit any boundary line as an agreed proposition until such time as proper discussion and consideration has been undertaken by both councils on the matter.
With the two councils appearing quite far apart in terms of a consensus at the moment, the government’s implementation group will have a tough task on its hands trying to reconcile these differences.
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If Ireland exports 90% of beef why are all co2 emissions attributed to Ireland, nonsense they should go to the tonneage per export country who need this product. Idem Nickel mines Russia, Bannanas Brazil, Olives Italy, Cars Germany, Tomatoes Spain. Bad rep for our industry and false maths. Different parts of the world are suited to different things based on geology and climate. And why is carbon sequestration (absorbtion) from our pastures not taken into account in Ireland to determine net emissions like it is in other countries..
@Damian Moylan: the real issue for Ireland is that beef is almost over.
@Damian Moylan: essentially your arguments are:
“We can’t help it if other people want to buy our product. You should prosecute the end user”
“Look at all the coal mines over there”
“Anyway, it turns out that this is what we’re good at. So you should let us keep doing it”
“Environment? We’ll sort it out later”
@James Brady: no, very few countries can produce beef in an environmentally friendly manner and the maths are wrong on emissions. Do you use a smart phone? Who makes that? Do you drive an electric car so who produces the lithium for the battery and who makes the car and what emissions are involved also in powering the car? Until we get to demand lead emissions the maths are false.
@Mike Rugby Nuts: Stopping importing Brazilian beef then and buy Irish. Support the farmers.
@Damian Moylan: If emmissions numbers are based on consumption that’s fine, until that we are faced with false figures.
@Mike Rugby Nuts: Hi Mike, i don’t think it’s over because we produce beef in the most environmentally manner possible because our geology and climate are ideally suited to that. Think olives Italy etc.
@Damian Moylan: Think about cattle around the world in the Usa and South America locked in slatted sheds with no sunlight being fed growth hormone. An unacceptable state of affairs imho, reprehensible from an animal welfare and environmental point of view.
@Lionheart1:
Still a problem! Abattoir capacity is very limited in Ireland so a local specialist meat retailer is squeezed every-way: supermarket competition and further on margin as he must Q up for Ab service, and then pay dear. And with all of the market manipulation going on by the big boys in Processing and Retail the odds are stacked against the little guy in chain culminating with the farmer.
Beef Product innovation / increased on-the-hoof exports to say MENA would go some way towards better prices, but exiting the sector altogether and putting land into forestry is increasingly becoming the sane alternative for many small-scale primary producers.
@Rory J Leonard: I can agree with all of that but how about building more abattoirs?You couldn’t plant trees where I live the wind would wipe them out. The farmers here have between 6 to 20 animals and all have 2nd jobs,that’s just the way it is but they should get more than they get for the work they put in. If you don’t want top quality beef then fine let them go to the wall.
EU and govt have more or less put a nail in the coffin for beef farmers in Ireland. Turned their backs on them while they struggle to get a decent price for their work and make deals to import cheap, inferior beef.
@Kath Noonan: So if a plumber isn’t getting paid what he wants for his work can he just demand the government gets him more. Can we all do that?
@Darren Byrne: if all the people of the country got together n decided they would only pay plumbers a fraction of his price, what would plumbers do then?
@Kath Noonan: Wrong, consumerism has. Beef consumption is down, chicken up. If you want to support the farmers buy from your local butcher and not the supermarkets.
@Sharon Brennan: Great post btw
@Darren Byrne: no Darren the plumber can price different jobs and reject jobs or accept jobs so he has options he can work for different company’s also. With the beef farmer there is no options he gets his cattle ready the goes to the factory with them and he is paid has no say in price given to him.
@John Jordan: So in your world an artist paints a picture shows up at a gallery, can demand a price they want and then get the government to step in to get it for them. Even if the government set a minimum price by the law they’d be worse off because foreign markets would just not by the 95% of production that they’re buying now
@Darren Byrne: they’re not asking government to get them more they are picketing the factories to force an increase in price. Government only got involved when plants ground to a halt and big business men demanded that these pickets be broken rather than them share the money around. Now we have the courts being used in the same way. If you can afford it then the law and government will side with you. I saw some of these protests and in the main they were peaceful and good natured. I’m sure there were flash points but I saw none
@Darren Byrne: Well if a plumber isn’t getting paid what he wants, why did he agree to do the job for the agreed price? Farmers don’t have that luxury, they don’t dictate the price they get paid for their cattle, the meat plants decide that.
@Darren Byrne: are pictures nice? I’ve never tasted one.
@Sharon Brennan: plumbers are unionised and the reason their pay is so good is only because they demanded it. So yes, plumbers have asked for higher pay and got it and they could do it again if there was another boom.
The only way farmers can protest now is to close down the capital, the ports and the motor ways, expect serious disruption now and thank the courts for siding with big business when you can’t get to work or home to ur family’s
@Ole dan tucker: So you think this crowd of 20000 who are going to cost us 10000 a head each year in emmissions fines can disrupt the lives of over 1 million just so they can get what they want. Do it and I’ll be the first and not the last who will vote for the first party that will slap them with emmissions taxes
@Darren Byrne: not saying it’s right or wrong just telling u it’s coming, they have the means to do it, it crates an impact and the courts closed all other doors available to them
@Ole dan tucker: there is another very simple avenue, do not sell to them at the low price but the fact is if they do that customers would have to pay more but they won’t. They’ll just buy less.
@Darren Byrne: yes but they can’t keep the animals for ever without selling they cost money to keep every day and they have to sell at 30 months or the value of the animal decreases substantially and the processors know exactly how many cattle are up to that age and who owns them on any given day, the processors claim there is no demand for beef, yet retail prices are never dropped to try and stimulate demand, why is that do you think is it possible that they have all the power and can continue to squeeze the primary producer? If farmers are to be viable they have to stop the race to the bottom, taxing emissions from the most sustainable producers globally will have a negative overall effect on climate change
@Darren Byrne: good man, vote for them so, let’s see how many seats they would get.
@Darren Byrne: Your knowledge of the facts around the situation are on a par with your spelling.
When Teachers , Bankers , Airline staff , Nurses etc. etc . go on strike why are there no legal injunctions against them ? Seems odd that Farmers are the only targets for this discrimination .
“Threatening and abusive protests by producer could jeopardise multi million deal with China” I suppose that it wouldn’t be good for business if the Chinese learned how the producers were exploited and ripped off by the beef barons!
@John Mc Donagh: You are simple if you think the Chinese care about anyone in Ireland.
@davey boy: I neither said or intimated that the Chinese care about anything in Ireland. I make the point that that none of our greedy meat factories bosses want the level of dissatisfaction and discontent among their producers to be known to their prospective customers.
No one needs that much beef, but Business dictates. Cant see it ending well for beef farmers, under the foot of the big bad international market. Like China give a chit where they get it from. Writings been on the wall for a while.
@thesaltyurchin: Wrong. There are many muslims in the world who dont eat pork.
@Damian Moylan: Muslims might not eat pork but they don’t just eat beef. That’s a daft statement
Farmers are among the worst polluters in the world .. I hate the smell of silages in the morning :)
@Conor V: Then just go and buy a clothes-peg!
@Conor V: are you sure it’s silage you’re smelling?
@Conor V: just a quick question. Do you eat beef or drink milk or eat any dairy products?
@Conor V: what is silage?
@Angela Lavin: silages?
@Conor V: don’t eat it then have cornflakes
All I can say, is having seen it! If the Chinese arrive and see this , they will just turn around and go home! They bring 10s of people with them, the check is everything and this won’t go well for Irish Beef exports to China. They will find our processing is perfect, but seeing this .. they will question the supply chain!
Its naive to think that a Chinese delegation would only be aware of the presence of a picket/protest outside the beef processors gates on the day they arrive.
The Commercial Attache and various Embassy officials will have been monitoring recent developments and reporting back to China.
It makes for an impressive and pressing scare story to prevent the pickets but the reality is the Chinese already know about the protests.
have your say