Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It proposes the transfer of part of the administrative area of Cork County Council to Cork City Council. The recent proposed boundary changes which involve the transfer of a significant number of people from the county council to the city council will have a detrimental effect on the county. The loss of areas such as Glanmire, Blarney and Ballincollig will result in a significant long-term drop in county council revenue, the effects of which will be felt for generations to come.

I represent rural areas of west Cork, some of which are the most disadvantaged in the country. These areas include the Mizen, Sheep's Head and Beara peninsulas, Bere Island, Dursey Island, Whiddy Island, Long Island, Sherkin Island, Heir Island and Cape Clear. We cannot afford any long-term loss of revenue. One need only look at the quality of roads in the county, particularly in west Cork, to see a glaring example of what the current underinvestment and lack of revenue can do to an area. Of course, there are other examples of underinvestment in the area. Several business have closed in west Cork in the past six weeks, including Long's shop in Timoleague, Lordan's in Ballinspittle, Hickey's in Kilbrittain, O'Driscoll's post office in Ballineen, Lisgriffin school in Goleen, Axa Insurance in Bantry, Desertserges post office, Drimoleague Credit Union and The Welcome Inn west of Bandon. Such closures are proof of the current lack of investment in west Cork. The lack of broadband is significantly affecting businesses and the people of the area. Several communities have been waiting many years for wastewater treatment plants. Raw sewage is being discharged into the sea in several locations along our coastline while local communities are doing their best to increase and enhance the tourist industry in the area.

The proposed transfer of this large area from Cork County Council to Cork City Council is a land grab which will have significant detrimental effects on the county council. When I and other members of the Rural Independent Group brought proposals to the Dáil to try to stop the transfer, I was amazed that we could not get the support of other Deputies representing Cork county but were supported by Deputies from Kerry, Galway and Tipperary and other parts of the country who could see what the Bill would do to rural areas of west Cork. Many Cork Deputies turned their back on Cork county, its people and councillors by dancing to their parties' tune. The people of the Cork County Council area will pay a high price for being let down by their Deputies in that way. Cork county councillors across the political spectrum are totally opposed to the proposed changes and have conveyed that to the Government and Members of this House. Their views have been ignored in the effort to bulldoze the Bill through. Who gave the expert advisory group more authority than elected members? Who is running this country? Is it being run by an expert group lined up by a Minister or its elected representatives, whether they be members of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin or another group or party or Independents? Have Members any authority or say in what happens in this country or is everything overridden by an expert group?

The Bill proposes that a financial settlement be made to compensate the county council for the loss of revenue. It is suggested that the financial settlement or compensation would last for up to ten years, although there is talk of that being subject to review. It could be reviewed the week after it is started. Ten, 15 or 20 years of compensation is far too short. At a minimum, the agreement should be for 15 to 20 years with reviews thereafter to examine extending the settlement for a longer period. In the event of Cork City Council being unable or unwilling to honour the financial settlement over a 15 to 20 year period with reviews thereafter, which may be a possibility, the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, on behalf of the State, should guarantee the payment to Cork County Council. It is imperative that is done because there is no way Cork County Council, which stands to lose a significant amount of revenue as a result of the boundary changes, should ever be in danger of not receiving the full financial settlement.

I cannot understand the transfer large amounts of farming land between Blarney and Ballincollig to Cork City Council. Under the Bill, areas around Coolroe, Tower, Leemount and parts of Inniscarra would move within the city boundary against the will of the people and their elected councillors, many of whom, including Councillor Kevin Conway, are fighting for the people in these communities. Many residents in those areas are extremely unhappy with the proposed transfer to the city council. Thousands of signatures opposing the plan which were handed in by the people of Ballincollig have mysteriously gone missing. I wonder why that happened and where they are.

The previous Government abolished the town council tier of local government. That tier focused on urban centres and its abolishment was clearly a mistake which needs to rectified through the restoration of our town councils. I strongly support the reintroduction of an urban focus. There is a disconnect between the municipal districts and urban towns. People in the towns of west Cork no longer have ready access to as many councillors as previously or to what used to be the town hall. That access must be restored. When the town councils were abolished, Clonakilty, which is in my constituency, set up a mayoral council and bucked the trend. It stood up for itself and volunteers in the town carry out important functions in the area for its people. The town was dictated to from the top, but it refused to listen. Its mayoral council has played a significant role in promoting tourism in the area.

Some of the proposals regarding local government area boundaries in west Cork make little sense to me. For example, it is proposed to transfer Courtmacsherry, Timoleague, Barryroe, Darrara and Ring out of the Clonakilty area and into the Bandon-Kinsale electoral area. That makes no sense as those areas are within the Clonakilty catchment area and areas such as Ring and Darrara are within walking distance of Clonakilty town. In spite of that it is proposed that they will be transferred out of the Clonakilty electoral area against the will of the people, local community and voluntary groups and many local representatives. The rumours about the reason behind the change are frightening and indicate that democracy is being ignored. I will not repeat them in the House.

Some of the decisions of the Government and its predecessor on rural Ireland beggar belief. The Government must start taking the people of rural Ireland seriously and give them back their voice. Democracy has been eroded little by little in recent years and the voices of local people and councillors are no longer being heard. They have no voice. They are being dictated to from the top.

That is not democratic; it is not the will of the people. It is not the will of the great people of west Cork, who put me into Dáil Éireann. By jamming this proposal down the throats of the people, we are going against the will of the people who elected the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, and every other Member of this House.

I have referred to the motion I proposed last year. I greatly appreciate the support it received from people in many counties, including Tipperary, Galway, Kerry and Clare. I knew at that time that we would be facing really difficult circumstances in west Cork. I suggest that the Tánaiste and certain party leaders have wagged the tail in this regard. They have forgotten their councillors and their own constituents. Their approach might suit a few people, but it certainly does not suit those who live in rural Ireland. They have not governed for the people of west Cork; they have governed for their own areas.

Even at this late stage, I plead with the Minister of State to withdraw this plan. We certainly have not received any assurance. From what I can see, the initial plan was to give a little assurance to the people. We were guaranteed ten years with no review, but now we are not guaranteed anything without a review. From what I can see, the review could take place within weeks of the agreement being put in place.

I will be opposing this legislation. I intend to table a number of amendments that will be based on what has been expressed to me by elected representatives in west Cork from the Minister of State's party, the main Opposition party and right across the political spectrum, as well as by the communities and people of the area. I will stand by them throughout the legislative process. I intend to force every one of my amendments to a vote if that is what it takes to prove to those I have mentioned that they have turned their backs on the people of rural Ireland, as they have done previously.

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