Cork City Taskforce must be prioritised – Burke

The establishment of the Cork City Taskforce must not be delayed any further, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Colm Burke, Fine Gael Spokesperson for Cork, said that for continued investment in Cork city there is a clear need to establish the taskforce.

“The Programme for Government clearly recognises the need for a dedicated taskforce for Cork city centre. This is something that Fine Gael also campaigned on in the 2024 General Election.

“We are now 200 days on, and this taskforce has yet to be put in place. People in Cork are rightly asking when this will be delivered, we urgently need to see its establishment.

“Across the county we are making progress on a number of fronts. The new hospital at Sarsfield Court, Glanmire is at design stage; and plans for new light rail as well as commuter rail has been announced, with new commuter rail stations in areas such as Blackpool, Blarney and Tivoli.

“Now we must go one step further for our city centre with a dedicated plan on how we can grow and improve our city.

“This taskforce would be hugely beneficial in growing, developing and supporting businesses and residents in the Cork city centre. It would consider the economic and social needs of the city and develop plans for positive development and transformation.

“We have seen the difference it can make in Dublin, where government, local government and community stakeholders, work together and say, ‘what’s our common vision’. Now that it has happened in Dublin, it needs to happen in Cork.

“The population of Cork has increased substantially over the past 20 years, this brings new challenges for our city centre, we must meet these challenges with a fresh approach, and I believe that the joined up thinking of a taskforce, bringing together local expertise from various different sectors would be incredibly beneficial.

“We must not delay any further in bringing this common vision to fruition. We need to see the Cork City Taskforce made a priority”, concluded Deputy Burke.