August 2024
Hi, there! — Welcome to the twenty-ninth edition of my monthly newsletter to keep you up to date on my work for Cork City North East.
This month, I’ve included updates on a new playground for the Mayfield/Montenotte area, enforcing new street performance bye-laws, and the effect of driver shortages at Bus Éireann in the city.
If there’s anything you want to get in touch about, or just to let me know your thoughts on this newsletter, feel welcome always to email me any time at oliver.moran@greenparty.ie.
Please remember to share this newsletter with your friends and neighbours in the ward too.
Many thanks!
Oliver
p.s. You can use this link to easily read and share all my monthly newsletters ... oliver.ie/newsletter
Motions and notions
There will be no ordinary meeting of Cork City Council this month because of Summer recess.
Nonetheless, I still wanted to include this section to the monthly newsletter to say thank you to the wonderful members of the Cork North City Greens.
Each month, I meet with my local group, the Cork City North Greens, and we agree motions and questions for the month ahead. We call this our “motions and notions” meeting :-)
Over the past five years, the group have produced brilliant ideas for motions to Cork City Council, as well as many thought-provoking questions. 👏👏
If you have ideas or suggestions for a motion, or have a question you want asked, just let me know!
Or join the Cork City North Greens ... my.greenparty.ie
What’s happening?
New playground for Mayfield
At the start of August, my Green Party colleague, Joe O’Brien, announced funding for a new playground for the Mayfield/Montenotte area.
It follows collaboration between Cork City Council and the local community on the need for a playground at the Village Pitches on Boherboy Road. The project will now receive €73,500 from the Community Recognition Fund.
Earlier this year, I said how I hoped design would be completed this year and that the plans would continue to construction soon after. This funding will now allow those plans to progress.
It’s a huge step forward for children and parents in the area who have been demanding a playground for a long time.
It also means that two new amenities are now being provided in the Mayfield area from this fund. In the last round of funding, €50,000 was allocated to establish a new Tinker’s Cross Park. An informal open day was held for residents in May to discuss those plans, which will also include a natural play area for children.
At the heart of both of these projects is the promise of a “City of Welcomes”.
The Community Recognition Fund is for communities nationwide that have welcomed people from Ukraine and other countries. These projects in particular will bring people together in shared spaces. They show the common needs of parents and children for places to play and come together, no matter where you are from.
Other projects being funded in the city include €75,000 for a walkway canopy project in Ballincollig, €68,800 for community services at Farranree, and €70,000 for playground repair in Mahon.
Enforcing busking bye-laws
The city’s new street performance bye-laws are now in effect and I spoke with the Neil Prendeville Show (from 1hr 35m here) during the month about how they can be enforced.
The new bye-laws strike a balance between the rights of performers and everyone else to enjoy the city centre. That includes limits on volume, a minimum repertoire, and maximum performance times at any one location. Particular efforts were made to support young artists by waiving permit fees for under 25s and seasonal artists with reduced-cost permits.
The demand from genuine artists is now for Cork City Council and the gardaí to begin enforcement of the bye-laws where there are problems. That would benefit the entire city centre by supporting genuine artists and the needs of traders, residents and people visiting the city centre.
In particular, the Leprechauns outside Brown Thomas were a particular focus of complaint from the public during the consultation on the new bye-laws. Unfortunately, when they are on the street, they make it impossible for others to perform or to enjoy the city centre.
Cork City Council enforcement officers were alerted to on-going problems with the Leprechauns again this month. The superintendent at the Bridewell has also confirmed that gardaí will pay attention to the area.
Driver shortage at Bus Éireann
This month I’ve been highlighting the serious problem with driver recruitment and retention at Bus Éireann in Cork, including speaking to Patricia Messinger on C103 (from 17m 30s here).
As part of this, I was forwarded a correspondence from the Department of Transport, which was reported in the Irish Examiner. The correspondence is noteworthy for the focus of attention on the problem of bus staff recruitment (and notably also the word “resignations”) at Capwell:
“The nationwide shortage of drivers is significantly worse in the Cork area, … even after recruiting a significant number of new drivers over the last 18 months…”
“...such shortages have arisen due to ... factors such as retirements, resignations in favour of alternative employers/sectors...”
“...a number of timetable rebuilds and refreshes are currently in development, and are planned to be deployed over Q3 of 2024 ... However, all such rectification measures will require additional driver and craft-worker resources, and as such this is a major constraint at present...”
“During the summer months Bus Éireann will actively engage with staff to maximise the availability of drivers to make themselves available for overtime (either before or after their daily duties, or on rest days), to delay planned annual leave, and on use of contract vehicles.”
“The Department of Transport engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to work permits for bus drivers from non-EU and non-EEA Countries and the possible inclusion of bus drivers on the critical skills list...”
“The NTA has engaged with the RSA to expedite the testing and licence issue process for new bus drivers.”
What jumps out at me is the level of trouble that exists at Capwell in delivering even current services in the city. Yes, there’s a national shortage of drivers but the problem is particularly acute at Capwell and will make the planned expansion of the city’s public transport network impossible, unless the problems are resolved.
Placing the burden of that on existing drivers by requiring them to give up on annual leave or work longer isn’t a sustainable answer or something that will make the job any more attractive for people.
Leaving commuters and city residents standing at bus stops is no solution either.
Passenger numbers are still growing in Cork, showing the demand that’s there despite the problems. The bottom line is that the city needs a bus company that can deliver on that demand and the city’s own climate and transport ambitions.
In the news…
Kilcully Pedestrian Safety Scheme gets the go-ahead
Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, confirmed with Cork City Council that detailed reviews are being made to plans for a 1.5km pedestrian safety scheme.
96fm, Wednesday, 7 August
Concern Cork city northside communities “losing out” as people forced to move to suburbs
Green Party councillor for Cork North East, Oliver Moran, said there was an unusual difference between northside and southside that wasn’t the case in previous quarters.
Echo, Sunday, 28 July
Footpaths needed on Cork city’s northside as pedestrians highlight dangers
Green Party councillor for the area, Oliver Moran, said he was aware of the need for footpaths in both areas.
Echo, Tuesday, 23 July
Keep in touch
Thanks for reading! Please feel welcome to share this newsletter and invite other people you know to subscribe — and, if you can, please consider making a donation to my political activities in the ward.
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Have a great month!
