Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Michael Collins for raising this issue which is of great interest in Cork, city and county. The Government supports the proposed redrawing of the boundaries for Cork city and county councils. We are ambitious for Cork which is our southern capital and second city. We want the population of Cork to grow by at least 50% by 2040. We want the population of Cork to grow twice as fast as that of Dublin between now and then. We are willing to stand behind the city in the case of any structural development required to ensure that will happen. We see Cork as part of an Atlantic economic corridor stretching to Limerick, Galway and beyond and acting as an alternative pole of development to the greater Dublin region. That is very much at the centre of the Government's balanced regional development policy and ambition. We see Cork as a university city and industry hub, with a developing airport and rapidly expanding port. We see it in having its own directly elected mayor in a few years to provide the city with a strong personality at its helm who will hold executive powers.

We acknowledge absolutely that this is a change and that all changes and reforms are difficult.

In some cases, and it will be the case in other counties, it may result in a loss in revenue, in this case a loss in revenue to the county from property tax and certain business rates. There will, therefore, be a compensation package. Compensation is necessary to ensure the county area does not lose out and we continue to be able to invest in the many large towns, small towns and villages throughout County Cork. I have every confidence that this will be worked out between the two councils and with the Minister.

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