May 16, 2024

Joined-Up Thinking – Joined-Up Towns

Artist's impression of a Clonakilty to Inchydoney boardwalk-style walkway and cycle path.

Active Travel – a phrase thrown around a lot in government policy in recent years – is essentially a catchy rebranding of the more colloquial phrase “getting up off your arse”. Walking and cycling are often promoted for being environmentally responsible, low-carbon modes of transport, and we are occasionally reminded of the health benefits that can be derived from these …

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March 10, 2024

Clon’s Traffic Problems Need New Ideas

It will come as no surprise to any of you, that traffic is an issue regularly raised at the doors of Clonakilty; with the town continuing to grow, the number of vehicles that pass through Clon is constantly on the rise. Unfortunately the road network in the town was never designed to handle this level of traffic. The recently-implemented one-way …

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February 28, 2024

More Outdoor Staff Required For Crumbling Footpaths

Photo: A damaged footpath in Dunmanway.

In many parts of West Cork, where footpaths are present, we see a combination of old, crumbling surfaces, and new poorly executed designs, where materials have been used with no assessment of the amount of grip they provide, and insufficient or non-existent consideration for the effective shedding of rainwater. Between 2019 and 2022, Cork County Council paid out €5.6 million …

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February 2, 2024

Progress Needed on Rosscarbery Playground

I spoke to the Southern Star this week about concerns that the redevelopment of Rosscarbery Playground could be seriously hindered by excessive red tape. At the heart of the issue is a lack of official clarity on the ownership of the ground on which the playground sits. A convoluted system of licences and permits is required, involving not only Cork …

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September 19, 2023

Planners Need To Plan Ahead

A photograph of a traffic jam, taken from the perspective of a driver.

As we approach the 2024 Local Elections, I want to start sharing my vision for West Cork. I firmly believe that it’s time that we address the challenges posed by shortsighted planning regulations that have left Cork County Council constantly playing catch-up with the needs of our community. To be clear, this is not a critique of our council planners …

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