County Mayor's Dairy

Cllr Danny Collins

It is my honour to share with you the success of the 10th Annual Mayor's Community Awards.

The event celebrated the remarkable contributions made by individuals and community and voluntary groups across Cork county. On behalf of Cork County Council, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all the nominees for their dedication and commitment to their communities.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of two of our award winners. Barry Cogan from South Cork won the overall Individual award for his remarkable voluntary work in over a dozen different community groups. His vision and innovation have been of tremendous benefit to the Carrigaline community, and we are grateful for his passion and hard work.

I also want to commend Banteer Community Sports field CLG, who won the overall Community Group award. The project was delivered with the support of various funding programs, including the Rural Regeneration Fund, IRD Duhallow, LEADER programme funding, Sports Capital Funds, and Cork County Council.

The new facility includes changing rooms, toilets, facilities for persons with disabilities, spectator stand, museum, digital hub and café, and is a fabulous amenity for the community.

Moving on to an important topic, Cork County Council is seeking public engagement on the first stage of a new Climate Action Plan for the county.

As we all know, climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face, and we need to work together to tackle it.

The Baseline Evidence Summary Report published by Cork County Council indicates that the climate in county Cork has changed in recent decades, and unless we act, the risks of impact may increase in the future.

The report predicts an increase in the average temperature of between 1.1 and 1.5 degree celsius for Cork county by 2050, resulting in an increase in heatwaves and droughts.

Coastal flooding and erosion are likely to become more frequent. The final plan, when published, will show how the council can work to influence, facilitate and coordinate the climate actions of communities and other stakeholders.

We need your input and involvement to develop an effective Climate Action Plan. Cork County Council recognises the wealth of local information throughout the county and we want to work together to gather as much information as possible to ensure that we all play our part in supporting our county’s climate ambitions.

Members of the public are being asked to make submissions on how the council can best transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy.

I am confident that together, we can create a specific Climate Action Plan for Cork county, reflecting national climate objectives but making them real at a local level. The Baseline Evidence Summary Report is available online, and submissions can also be made from 24 April to 21 May. Cork County Council is required by statute to adopt the plan before 24 February 2024.

Once again, congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the Mayor's Community Awards, and I thank you for your engagement in developing the Climate Action Plan.