First meeting of joint city and county council
The first meeting of the Joint Cork City and County Committee took place recently. The committee is composed of 18 members, nine from each council.
It is the first time that the committee has met since 2018.
The meeting was chaired by Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley. The chairperson role will rotate between Cllr Linehan Foley and Lord Mayor of Cork City Cllr Fergal Dennehy.
The committee discussed active travel and greenways, the proposed Cork to Kinsale Greenway, the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Motorway, bus services, park and ride provision, and updates on Cork city capital projects. A spokesperson for Cork City Council said the meeting was an “important step in strengthening collaboration between Cork City Council and Cork County Council”.
“The establishment of the joint committee reflects a shared commitment between both local authorities to enhance strategic cooperation and support the continued development of the Cork region,” they said.
The committee will meet twice a year in closed sessions. City Cllr Ciara O’Connor, who proposed a motion to council last year calling for it to be reconvened, said it was an important committee to have representation on as issues such as transport, housing, and infrastructure are relevant to both authorities.
“It was genuinely encouraging to see councillors and officials from both councils back around the table discussing shared challenges in a constructive and practical way.
“This meeting was long overdue, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work collaboratively with colleagues across both councils in the meetings ahead,” she said.
A similar motion was brought to Cork County Council last year by Cllr Una McCarthy.
“I believe strong collaboration is essential for communities and districts along the city–county boundary.
“I’m delighted to see it has finally been established,” she said.
This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.