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

Last Monday week, Cork County Council published findings from a comprehensive independent report compiled by the All-Island Research Observatory at Maynooth University. This research proves that County Cork has been underfunded by successive Governments for decades. The independent report states clearly that Cork County Council have received the lowest CLÁR funding per capitain spite of having the highest population. The report states that we have the fourth lowest LEADER funding in spite of being the largest county. It also states that County Cork gets the lowest share of grants and on this point states that it got a very significant shortfall in rural regeneration funds, town and village funds, local improvement scheme, LIS, funding and greenway funding. The report shockingly states that Cork county roads will need €750 million just to catch up with the rest of the country. We have now fallen 52 years behind other counties, a point I have consistently raised here. County Cork has been treated appallingly by successive Governments and this independent report proves it. I asked the Taoiseach for a task force to deal with underfunding in County Cork a number of months ago, which he refused. I ask again whether he will set up a task force. Will he also consider launching an independent investigation as to why Departments have been found to underfund County Cork?

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