Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate because I believe it is of vital importance. This issue has created a major divide within Cork city and county. Major challenges have surfaced to try to bring an agreed solution. The status quowill not remain but what will be put in its place? How effective will the new plan be to serve all the citizens of Cork city and county?

I come from a rural part of Cork. We have seen some of the discussions, announcements and plans relating to Cork and so forth. It is all built around the major city of Cork and its environs. I live 46 miles from the city and such areas have a major contribution to make to Irish society in future. The planning laws and regulations in force at present are responsible for the difficulties people have in trying to set up home in these places. Their fear is that all the power and population will be sucked into the greater hinterland around Cork city and one sees the divisions that have been created in this regard. Lines are being drawn without any consultation. Surely to God, in 2017, we are not going to impose a division between Cork city and county without an agreement or as much agreement as is humanly possible for the greater good of the citizens of Cork city and county.

We have seen many of the discussions in recent months and the acrimony and challenges that arose. There is a bright future for all parts of Cork city and county if this is properly planned. All we see at the moment is a drive to plan the greater metropolitan Cork area while leaving the rural areas aside. What will happen if we allow these plans to go ahead? What will be left? We saw the plans that went into the great expansion of Dublin. Let us consider the areas one hour outside Dublin, for example, Athlone or Carlow. They are within a one-hour drive of Dublin. They have been hollowed out of business because the businesses have been sucked into the capital. This is the concern I have in respect of growing a massive city in Cork. Are we going to hollow out towns like Mallow, Kanturk, Millstreet, Newmarket or Charleville? Are these places going to be completely forgotten? What happens if we go through with the same policy as that used for Dublin and suck the life out of the places around the city? Is that what we are now doing in Cork? We need to be careful as we proceed. Surely to God in 2017 we are not going to impose a division between Cork city and county that does not have the agreement of the vast majority of the citizens of the county. It is high time that proper arbitration was put in place to try to get an agreed settlement.

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