City task force: Cork people are 'fussy' about the title

There have been delays in the implementation of the Cork city task force, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin saying that Cork people are “fussy” about the title and that there are discussions to find a new one.

Speaking in the Dáil, Fianna Fáil TD Séamus McGrath asked for an update on the task force.

A task force in Dublin city identified several areas in need of investment or plans last year, and one in Cork was expected to be delivered in the first 100 days of Government. Next month, the current Government will pass its 300th day.

Mr McGrath said: “The programme for government states that the model applied to the Dublin city task force will also be applied to Cork, and will happen shortly.

“I hope this task force will deal with such strategic issues as improved transportation connectivity to Cork city, addressing issues around dereliction, vacancy and under-utilisation of buildings, investment in our public realm or streetscape, making the city a more attractive place to be and — critically from a day-to-day point of view — safety in our city centre and improved visibility of gardaí.”

“I commend Cork City Council and Cork Business Association on their initiative of introducing wardens to the city centre recently. It was welcome. I hope the Taoiseach will give an update on when the Cork city task force will move on,” said Mr McGrath.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin responded: 

“People do not like the word ‘task force’ in Cork — we are kind of fussy — so they are looking for a different title because the city has made progress.

“They had issues with that but, in any case, we are going to set up a group in terms of the roadmap for progress and a fresh approach to Cork city itself. It is important that we get the terms of reference and the focus right.

“Some work has been undertaken between UCC, the city council, the Cork Business Association, and others in respect of how the city should progress.

“We want to make sure that in what we establish, we capture that and not duplicate or do something on a different strand or track.”

Mr Martin added that work is ongoing in the city: “We have the large-scale regeneration projects in Cork docklands and Tivoli and the development of a much- enhanced, city-wide public transport system.

“A lot of active travel projects have been delivered in Cork city. which is quite good to see. It is about bringing all of that together.

“I would be particularly interested in the inner city core - that we create new opportunities there.

“There is more work to be done for towns around the country in that respect. We need to bring more residential back in.

“This then creates new opportunities for a different kind of retail and hospitality into the future.”