Sinn Féin launch blueprint for ‘vibrant’ Cork city centre

Sinn Féin’s Cork city general election candidates have launched their blueprint for the city centre, which focuses on making it safer and more vibrant.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, TD for Cork South Central, told The Echo at the launch of their plan: “A number of businesses, particularly in hospitality, have closed in recent years; in the last 12 months up to June 2024, there have been 48 business closures across Cork city and county.

“This is matched across the State but is particularly acute in the city centre, where there is also a 13% vacancy rate.”

He proposed a €650m PRSI rebate, a return to the 9% Vat rate, and a restructuring of the enterprise model through a new agency which would deal with small to medium domestic Irish businesses.

“People are doing their shopping and their socialising outside of town — we need to change that. It is an election issue, it’s something that comes up on the doors and it’s something that we have a concrete, costed plan for,” said Mr Ó Laoghaire.

His running mate, Michelle Cowhey Shahid, said: “There’s a great need for more age-friendly safe seating — the council spent nearly €360,000 on robo-trees which are not serving their purpose.”

She said the lack of public seating is reducing the affordability and accessibility of the city, and suggested an increase in rest points along frequently travelled pedestrian routes.

The party’s plan also calls for greater investment in bus services and light rail, the public realm, and cultural activities such as free walking tours.

Sinn Féin councillor Joe Lynch, who is running in Cork North Central, said: “Policing is a huge issue, a lot of the problems in the city centre can be traced back to the lack of a police presence.”

He said that the party has a three-pronged approach to increase Garda numbers — the opening of a second Garda training college, a taskforce to tackle issues that have seen significant numbers leave the force, and increased use of civilian staff to free up uniformed officers from desk work and get them back on the beat.

Mr Lynch said policing is also a huge problem in the city suburbs, including his own area of Ballincollig, adding that. He said that a review he proposed of Garda station opening hours was, according to Superintendent Tom Myers “at an advanced stage”, and he was hopeful of an increase in opening hours.

Sitting TD Thomas Gould, also running in Cork North Central, highlighted ongoing issues of vacancy and dereliction and outlined Sinn Féin’s plan to support businesses and penalise speculators.

“North Main St was a place I used to come with my mother, it was a vibrant shopping district, and though there’s still some great businesses here and a great community spirit, there’s also unbelievable dereliction,” said Mr Gould.

“Sinn Féin has a plan to tackle vacancy and dereliction that would return buildings back into use — commercial, community, or housing.

“For businesses and for owners of buildings who want to bring them back into use, we will offer support, but for speculators and land-hoarders who are sitting on these, trying to increase their profits, we would have a levy of 7% that would increase by 50% every year.”