May 2026
Hi, there! — Welcome to the fifty-first edition of my monthly newsletter to keep you up to date on my work for Cork City North East.
This month, we have motions on the world’s smallest public statue, measures against dereliction, “courtesy crossings”, and European technological sovereignty. As well as questions on repair to roads after works by Uisce Éireann and providing play equipment in local parks.
I’ve also included updates on proposals for traffic calming, community climate action grants, and the retirement of my ward colleague, Ted Tynan.
Feel welcome, as always, to email me any time at email@oliver.ie. In particular, if there are any local issues I should know about — but also to share your thoughts and comments on this newsletter.
Please remember too to share this newsletter with your friends and neighbours in the ward.
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
Each councillor can submit up to four motions each month to Cork City Council and ask two formal questions of the Chief Executive. One of these questions is asked at the Local Area Committee and must be about local operational matters.
Before the deadline 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 :-)
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.
Questions
“To ask the Chief Executive the approximate cost of resurfacing the estate roads in Mount Farran in Blackpool to a condition before works carried out by Uisce Éireann; and options available to Cork City Council to recoup the costs of restoration from Uisce Éireann.”
I will also ask the following question at the next meeting of the North East ward Local Area Committee:
“To ask the Chief Executive the suitability of providing a BoxUp station (like at Tramore Valley Park) at locations in the North East ward, such as Tinker’s Cross Park, John O’Callaghan Park or Spring Lane Park, to provide play equipment suitable to the location?”
Motions
“That Cork City Council will erect a statue to the mosquito or midge that bit Oliver Cromwell during his siege of the city, later causing his death through ‘Cork fever’ (malaria); and that this statue shall be the ‘world’s smallest public statue’.”
“That, for any property in a location qualifying for payment of Residential Zoned Land Tax that is identified by or reported to Cork City Council as being derelict (irrespective of whether it meets the criteria of dereliction) and is suspected or reported to be vacant, Cork City Council shall report the property and any relevant information to Revenue for pursuit of payment of Residential Zoned Land Tax; and that the property owner will be informed of this on any notice posted at the property relating to dereliction and vacancy.”
“That Cork City Council will report on its policy for use of courtesy crossings, including when a zebra crossing is preferred or a raised table used; accompanying advice and signage for motorists; and the regulatory standing of these types of crossings.”
“That Cork City Council will endeavor to use European software and IT services, recognising and supporting a shift in Europe towards technological sovereignty.”
Spoken contributions
At this month’s meeting of Cork City Council, I made spoken contributions on:
You can watch back my previous contributions in the chamber on YouTube and share these with the link oliver.ie/videos.
What’s happening?
Traffic calming consultation
A public consultation is open this month on proposed locations for traffic calming across the city.
Nearly half of these, 14 out of 31 locations, are in the North East ward. That’s a reflection of the priorities put by councillors in the ward on traffic calming when allocating the ward-level budget.
Notable areas include Ballyhooly Road, where residents have been seeking a comprehensive approach to traffic calming in this wholly residential area.
The works already underway at St Luke’s Cross can be seen as a part of that and it will include two new raised table crossings. Another raised table crossing has also been agreed for near the Glen River Park.
The new proposals will add traffic calming between Dillon’s Cross and St Luke’s Cross. It will ensure the success of a 30km/h limit when new speed restrictions are introduced across the city in 2027.
The proposals for consultation now also include more traditional estates in Ballyvolane, Mayfield, Glanmire, and Tivoli.
The consultation is open until Monday, 15 June, at consult.corkcity.ie, where you can see detailed maps of all the proposed locations.
Community climate action grants
This month, the allocations for the second round of community climate action grants were announced. These are small-to-large grants from a pool of €967,058 citywide, of which €280,360 has been allocated to projects in the North East ward:
An urban greening and community growing project at St. Luke’s Community Garden on the Balyhooly Road (€3,000).
LED lighting upgrades at Graffiti Theatre in Blackpool (€9,974) and Glanmire GAA (€50,000).
A pool cover for the Brothers of Charity at Lota (€24,258).
A food hub at the Glen Community Garden (€33,873).
The installation of a heat pump at Brian Dillons GAA in Mayfield/Montenotte (€35,634).
The establishment of community gardens at Ballyvolane (€53,000) and Glenamoy Lawn (€70,621).
The range of projects involved shows the breadth of angles there are to climate action (like the wormery in St Luke’s Community Garden, above) — and the energy there is on the ground to deliver on it.
Not every application was successful, unfortunately, and I will continue to look for opportunities for those that missed out.
Cork City Council also published its second annual update to the city’s climate action plan this month. This is the basis locally for supporting projects like these and driving the city’s own climate action efforts.
Retirement of Ted Tynan
At it’s meeting in May, Cork City Council bid farewell to a colleague and activist, Ted Tynan, who is retiring from the chamber nearly 50 years after first being elected.
I will miss Ted greatly as a ward colleague and someone in whom I saw a shared passion for social justice, the environment, democracy, and peace.
At the meeting where he announced his retirement, I told a story of advice he gave to me 10 years ago. That was to put one’s nerves aside and to “put on the brass neck” to speak up for the communities and ideas we represent.
Ted did this every day of his elected life from what I saw. He is someone who speaks fiercely and genuinely and with malice only towards injustice and pain.
It has been a privilege to work with Ted as a ward colleague for the last seven years, and to continue to learn from him. Now, I wish him happiness in retirement.
He will be replaced on Cork City Council by a nominee at the June meeting, and I look forward to working with that person too.
In the news…
‘World’s smallest public statue’ proposed for Cork mosquito linked to death of Oliver Cromwell
Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, said the novelty of having the smallest statue in the world could attract visitors to Cork.
Irish Examiner, Thursday, 14 May
Cork set for transformative move in its rail service amid plans for two new stations in the city
Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, said the plans will “turbocharge” a strategic plan for Blackpool and provide “alternatives” for commuters in Glanmire.
Irish Independent, Thursday, 30 April
Update on Cork city’s northside housing given to local councillor
The update was provided to Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, on travel, housing, and infrastructure in the Mayfield area.
Echo, Saturday, 25 April
Keep in touch
Thanks for reading! Please feel welcome to share this newsletter and invite other people you know to subscribe. If you can, please consider making a donation to my political activities in the ward.
You can also keep up to date with my activities on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Mastodon and TikTok. And don’t forget, you can email me any time at email@oliver.ie.
Have a great month!
