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Tuesday 25 July 2017

Smiddy slams McKinnon report as Carrigtwohill rejects Boundary Extension (Christy Parker)

More than 120 people attended a meeting organised by Muintir na Tíre and Carrigtwohill Community Council at Carrigtwohil community hall on July 4th to discuss the proposal to greatly expand the city boundary to the area.

People at the public meeting in Carrigtwohill, 11 miles from Cork, were strongly opposed to being brought under the control of City Hall.

Carrigtwohil community council chairman  Anthony Barry warned the Mackinnon proposal could dissect the Carrigtwohill area under two administrations.


Alf Smiddy, whose previous report recommending a single local authority for city and county was rejected, told the public meeting the Mackinnon report was an attempt by “a weaker city administration” to seize the rates and land of its “more dynamic” county equivalent.
The 2015 Smiddy Report had also envisaged an enlarged metropolitan district, forming one of three municipal divisions.
 At the meeting Mr Smiddy dismissed the Mackinnon document as “a rambling, cobbled-together report, born out of political expediency” and “tantamount to giving two fingers to Cork County Council”.
He said he found it “bizarre” that Minister Simon Coveney had welcomed his own report, before subsequently initiating the Mackinnon project.
The report, he added, had been “torpedoed” by co-ordinated attacks by city vested interests, including politicians and media.
It would be “shocking, appalling and terrible” if it was rammed through, he said, and suggested a countywide plebiscite to decide it.
Christine Lane Of The Cork County PPN expressed concerns that the PPN in Cork was Shouted down and dismissed by MCKinnon.

Source Christy Parker
Muintir na Tire are organising other meetings around the County in conjunction with local Community Groups as mounting opposition to the plan grows countywide.


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