“If we do not decide now on what Cork City will look like in the coming years, then other people will decide for us.”

That was the warning from Philip Gillivan, president of the Cork Business Association, as he said everyone in Cork needs to focus on resolving the housing crisis facing the city. He made the remarks at the annual CBA Cork Business of the Year Awards, which took place at the Vienna Woods Hotel on Saturday night.

Mr Gillivan highlighted the array of developments under construction in Cork at the moment.

“We currently have 564,000 sq feet of Grade A office space under construction in Cork City, with a further 221,000 coming on stream in 2021 with over a million sq feet proposed up to 2024,” he said. “We know Cork City is earmarked to be the fastest-growing city in Ireland over the next 20 years.” But he pointed out that to fill these offices with workers, there needs to homes available.

“The Cork Business Association is concerned like everyone else as to where all of these workers will live?” he said. “Nobody wants to see more long commutes and traffic gridlock either trying to get into the city or Glanmire, Ballincollig, Carrigaline, to name but a few towns.

“The public transport system in Cork is not currently resourced to cope with existing demand — never mind the additional 10,000 workers we hope to attract to our city.”

He called on business leaders to pressure politicians to make housing the top priority for a new government, when it is formed. Both Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Simon Coveney of Fine Gael were in attendance at the event.

“The collective will of everyone in this room has the ability to push for this, our new government will be formed shortly, and we need to have housing for people in the city as a top priority,” he said. “If Cork City wants to attract the very best, we must create a quality of life better than our competitors." 

Caseys Furniture and Cork English College were the big winners at the Cork Business Association’s Cork Business of the Year Awards, which were attended by more than 400 business people. This year, the menu was extra special as some of Cork’s finest hotel chefs joined forces with Vienna Woods to create a culinary feast, the first time such a collaboration has taken place in Cork.

Cork English College won the Cork Business of the Year Award in the Medium Business category, while Caseys Furniture was the winning Large Business.

A further 10 industry awards were presented with winners including Cork Art Supplies, Clayton Hotel Cork City, CADA Performing Arts, Workvivo, The Courtyard on Sober Lane, Red FM, The Cornstore, Café Gusto, The Franciscan Well and Lisney.

The CBA presented the Champion of Cork Award to two prominent business people in Cork — Moss and Will Finn, in recognition of the family’s contribution to the commercial and sporting life of Cork City. Finn’s Corner which was founded in 1878, traded through a civil war, two world wars, and too many recessions to mention. “While sadly they have recently chosen to close their doors and enjoy their retirement, this business will always retain a spot in the heart of every Corkonian and the Corner where it is located will always be known as Finn’s Corner,” the CBA said.