17 February 2021, “Speaking to The Echo, Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy, who has been vocal for many years about the need to develop the site, welcomed the news as “a really positive day for Mahon”, Vacant building in Mahon could be set for a new lease of life, Vacant building in Mahon could be set for a new lease of life (echolive.ie)
Category Archives: Ward Development
Cllr McCarthy: NTA Investments in Marina Area Warmly Welcomed, 15 February 2021
Press Release:
“Last week’s announcements by the National Transport Authority (NTA) are really positive for the Marina area and the Old Railway Line Walk through to Bessboro. Firstly phase 1 of the Greenway has been given funding of e.3.2m to progress construction. It comprises widening of the existing surfaced area along the old railway line path from 3m to 5m, the installation of new public lighting and CCTV, emphasising the heritage of the railway (especially at Blackrock Station) and producing a biodiversity corridor along the railway line.
Secondly, it is also really great to see funding following the public consultation and its vision for the Marina and the Council’s subsequent vote to pedestrianise the Marina walk full-time.
A total of e.240,000 has received from the NTA to progress preliminary design, planning, design team appointment & detailed design for the Marina Promenade Pedestrian and Cycle facilities project. Many people have complained that is very difficult to walk over certain sections of the Marina’s road plus the need to have a think about public lighting after dark and the counter balance of that with protection of natural habitats around the Atlantic Pond and eastwards. The project will also seek funding for some repairs to the quay wall and some general improvement to the public realm including seating, bike parking etc.
In March/ April this year, the Infrastructure Development Directorate of Cork City Council will be publishing a notice seeking tenders from suitably qualified and experienced Design Consultants for the upgrade and enhancement of the Marina (Centre Park Road to Blackrock Village).
By the end of 2021 City Hall officials aim to present a recommended layout to Council members with construction to follow in early 2022 subject to the necessary consents and funding approval.
Great credit is due to officials in City Hall of the Infrastructure section; there is great momentum at the moment between drafting plans, gaining the input of the public, amending plans where needs be, and presenting them to the National Transport Authority for funding”.
Kieran’s Question to CE and Motions, Cork City Council Meeting, 8 February 2021
Question to CE:
To ask the CE about the mechanisms in place to combat homelessness this winter in the city?
How many homelessness cases on the streets in the last weekend of January 2021?
Are their beds available for all homelessness at this point in time in the city (early February 2021)?
How many emergency accommodation units?
To ask for the breakdown of finance given to housing homeless agencies in the city in 2020 & for 2021? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Motions:
That the footpath between Temple Inn and Venue Public Houses, Ballintemple be repaired (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That the request to ward councillors by the Parent Association of St Michael’s NS, Blackrock on Church Road be looked at and implemented with regard to speed limit reduction to 30 kph, adequate school awareness signage, speed limit posting on both approaches on Church Road, road markings, and bollards at the front of the school (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That Cork City Council calls on the Government to put in place legislation on the standards, management and maintenance specific to houses of multi-occupancy (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Cllr McCarthy: Regeneration for The Marina Walkway Proposed, 28 January 2021
Press Release:
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed the new regeneration proposals being drawn up for The Marina’s walkway. These will be presented to central government by City Hall engineers later this year. They include proposals for a complete replacement of the existing footpath and carriageway with the exact layout to be decided through the design process and public consultation. The project will also seek funding for public lighting, some repairs to the quay wall and some general improvement to the public realm including seating, bike parking etc.
Ultimately, the scope of works wishes to create a high quality public amenity space for pedestrians and cyclists with a car free zone between Pairc Uí Chaoimh and Church Avenue.
The Infrastructure Development Directorate of Cork city Council will be publishing a notice seeking tenders from suitably qualified and experienced Design Consultants for the upgrade and enhancement of the Marina (Centre Park Road to Blackrock Village).
Cllr McCarthy noted”: Discussions are underway with funding agencies regarding the financing of the project. City Hall is aiming to appoint the design team in March/April 2021. By the end of 2021 they aim to present a recommended layout to Council members with construction to follow in early 2022 subject to the necessary consents and funding approval”.
Open call for Cllr McCarthy’s Community Ward Funds 2021
Cllr Kieran McCarthy is calling on any community groups based in the south east ward of Cork City, which includes areas such as Blackrock, Mahon, Ballinlough, Ballintemple, Douglas, Donnybrook, Maryborough, Rochestown, Mount Oval and Moneygourney with an interest in sharing in his 2021 ward funding to apply for his funds.
A total of e.11,000 is available to community groups through Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s Cork City Council ward funds. Due to the annual take-up of the ward funds, in general grants can vary from e.100 to e.300 to groups. Application should be made via letter (Richmond Villa, Douglas Road) or email to Kieran at kieran_mccarthy@corkcity.ie by Friday 5 February 2021. This email should give the name of the organisation, contact name, contact address, contact email, contact telephone number, details of the organisation, and what will the ward grant will be used for.
Ward funds will be prioritised to community groups based in the south east ward or the south east local electoral area of Cork City who build community capacity, educate, build civic awareness and projects, which connect the young and old. Cllr McCarthy especially welcomes proposals where the funding will be used to run a community event (as per Covid guidelines), digital included, and that benefit the wider community. In addition, he is seeking to fund projects that give people new skill sets. That could include anything from part funding of coaching training for sports projects to groups interested in bringing forward enterprise programmes to encourage entrepreneurship to the ward.
Cllr McCarthy is also particularly interested in funding community projects such as community environment projects such as tree planting and projects that that promote the rich history and environment within the south east of Cork City.
Cllr McCarthy: Work undertaken to stabilise iconic sign at busy Cork roundabout, 26 January 2021
26 January 2021, “Independent Cork City councillor Kieran McCarthy said a member of the public contacted him in December last year, with concerns that the iconic sign at the Fingerpost roundabout in Douglas had collapsed slightly on the mound it stands on”, Work undertaken to stabilise iconic sign at busy Cork roundabout,
Work undertaken to stabilise iconic sign at busy Cork roundabout (echolive.ie)
Cllr McCarthy: Mural paying tribute to Cork Hospital staff vandalised, 22 January 2021
22 January 2021, “Local Cork City Councillor Kieran McCarthy was disappointed with the recent acts of vandalism; “I am disappointed. It is a pity. We have earmarked various commissions in recent months throughout the city, but this one seems to have particularly annoyed somebody who lives in the local area. There is no reference to Covid, it is actually a thank you message to the workers across the road”, Mural paying tribute to Cork hospital staff vandalised, Mural paying tribute to Cork hospital staff vandalised (echolive.ie)
Cllr McCarthy commissions two new street art murals on Douglas Road, January 2021
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy continues his commissions of street art on Douglas Road. In recent weeks, two new pieces have emerged on traffic switch boxes. The first mural, which is located at Cross Douglas Road, is that of Terence and Muriel MacSwiney who lived at 5 Eldred Terrace in 1917.
Cllr McCarthy highlighted: “There was a commemorative plaque erected on the wall of their former house in June 1980 but unfortunately the plaque was taken down a few months later. There have been calls within the Ballinlough area and Douglas Road by locals to once again mark the story from over hundred years ago of the MacSwineys living within the local community. This mural’s central image is from an old photograph of the couple whist the rose motif is a nod to the always beautiful adjacent flower shop.
The second mural is opposite the entrance to St Finbarr’s Hospital. Cllr McCarthy noted: “The mural has the theme of “hold firm” and is dedicated to healthcare staff within the hospital who have held firm against COVID-19. The mural adds to the existing street art mural, which was painted Kevin O’Brien outside CUH last year”.
“It has been great to commission artist Kevin O’Brien again. This is my sixth commission with him. He really brings ordinary municipal utility boxes to life with his creativity, imparting uplifting and positives messages. Roads such as Douglas Road are well walked everyday, so it is great to bring his work into heart of suburban communities, concluded Cllr McCarthy.
Artist Kevin O’Brien noted: “Street art is a fantastic way to improve the aesthetic of urban areas and build a sense of character in communities, but beyond that, with cultural spaces currently closed, the availability of street art in public spaces takes on an even greater importance”.
Kieran’s 2021 Ward Funds, Now Open
The call for Kieran’s 2021 Ward Fund is now OPEN.
Cllr Kieran McCarthy is calling on any community groups based in the south east ward of Cork City, which includes areas such as Ballinlough, Ballintemple, Blackrock, Mahon, Douglas, Donnybrook, Maryborough, Rochestown, Mount Oval and Moneygourney with an interest in sharing in his 2020 ward funding to apply for his funds. A total of E.11,000 is available to community groups through Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s ward funds.
Application should be made via letter (Richmond Villa, Douglas Road) or email to Kieran at kieran_mccarthy@corkcity.ie by Friday 5 February 2021. This email should give the name of the organisation, contact name, contact address, contact email, contact telephone number, details of the organisation, and what will the ward grant will be used for?
Please Note:
– Ward funds will be prioritised to community groups based in the south east ward of Cork City who build community capacity, educate, build civic awareness and projects, which connect the young and old.
– Cllr McCarthy especially welcomes proposals where the funding will be used to run a community event (as per COVID guidelines) that benefits the wider community. In addition, he is seeking to fund projects that give people new skill sets. That could include anything from part funding of coaching training for sports projects to groups interested in bringing enterprise programmes to encourage entrepreneurship to the ward.
– Cllr McCarthy is also particularly interested in funding community projects such as community environment projects such as tree planting, community concerts, and projects those that promote the rich history and environment within the south east ward.
– Cllr McCarthy publishes a list of his ward fund allocations each year on this page.
Cllr McCarthy – Bessboro Planning Proposals still open to Submissions, December 2020
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has noted that the planning applications for a Strategic Housing Development (SHD) of 179 units and the proposal for 67 units, both in Bessboro, with An Bord Pleanála and Cork City Council respectively, are still open to submissions by the public until early in the first week of January.
In his submission to both bodies Cllr McCarthy has taken issue with the project splitting that has been pursued by the developer with regard to planning proposals being sent to both An Bord Pleanála and to Cork City Council respectively. Cllr McCarthy noted: “both proposals have serious massing, scale and height obtrusive issues. They do not provide for an acceptable standard of open space amenity for future residents. They would seriously injure the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.
“Secondly and most notably and morally wrong, the proposals have not waited for the publication of the Government’s Mother and Baby Home Commission Report. The proposals have not waited to see the summary of recommendations for sites of former institutions. By not waiting, the situation just drives another dagger into the hearts of the Cork Survivor’s Alliance, who are just looking for recognition, knowledge of what happened and a chance to memorialise their babies”.
“I would encourage members of the general public who are interested in Bessboro to make submissions to Cork City Council and to An Bord Pleanála sooner than later. My email is kieran_mccarthy@corkcity.ie if there are those who need help where to send submissions”, concluded Cllr Kieran McCarthy.