As part of this process , the Council  are undertaking a public consultation process to determine the views of the public in relation to the proposed uses in the park. A letter drop has taken place to a number of estates including Dundanion Court, Drumcora Mews, Rocklcliffe Village, Lisnalee Drive and Ardfoyle Crescent as residents who are immediately adjacent and who may directly impacted by the proposed park design.

The Planning Department are alsoproposing to meet with the Blackrock Community Association and Save Marina Park Group with a view to determining further consultation with a wider public in the Blackrock & Ballintemple area.

A meeting is proposed on Thursday 17th May 2012 in Blackrock Community Centre between 5.00pm and 7.30pm and you are more than welcome to attend with apologies for the short notice.

Now, along with the usual lunchtime hour available from Monday to Friday, the pool will also be open to members of the public on Saturdays from 1pm – 4pm. This is something that I have campaigned for in City Hall since I was elected and I am glad to see that some progress has now been made.

Almost half a million euro was invested in Douglas pool over the last nine months, by the Fine Gael led Government and the local authority. This makes the facility not only more attractive to our customers, but also makes the pool more energy efficient.

The number of patrons making use of the additional hours will be monitored over the coming weeks and months and demand will determine if this is a permanent extension of hours. Already numbers using the pool during the lunchtime public hour have doubled since the recent refurbishment – which reflects the need for a quality amenity in the area.

Also on pricing – currently rates are: €4 for Adults or €2 for Children/OAP’s/Students  - this is now being incentivised, with a 10% reduction over ten swims i.e. customer would buy a book of ten tokens for the price of nine. This  incentivised pricing structure is a reflection that City Council and LeisureWorld are listening to our customers and trying to facilitate them as much as possible.

The pool is used by clubs and schools from 7am to 10pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

The Executive is made up of representatives from within the party, including Oireachtas Members, Councillors and grassroots members. The Taoiseach serves as President of the group, with John Bruton as Vice President.

Members of the National Executive are charged with the organisational management of the party including candidate election selections, fundraising and taking action on disciplinary matters.

I was honoured to have been elected by my colleagues to represent their views on the National Executive. It is a hugely interesting time to be involved at this level of the party, with two referendums  this year, as well as dealing with the report from the boundary commission due in the coming months.

The importance of the ratification of this Treaty to Ireland’s future cannot be underestimated. Securing a Yes vote will be another important step in the rebuilding of both Ireland’s economy and our international reputation. It will give the Irish people the opportunity to reaffirm Ireland’s commitment to membership of the Euro, which remains a fundamental pillar of our economic and jobs strategy.

What is the Treaty?

It is a document aimed at providing stability, order and a “safety net” for the Eurozone countries.

It is an agreement between countries using the Euro (and most other EU countries) to stick to tighter budget rules. In return, countries using the Euro promise to support each other through times of crisis using the €500 billion “European Stability Mechanism” rescue fund.

Like family members who promise to support each other through difficult times, it’s important that each family member respects that support by living within their means.

That’s because if one country incurs debts that they can’t pay, the others may have to step in to bail them out. And in the same way as Ireland will pay our own way, we expect other countries to do the same.

The Treaty offers protection to countries that follow the rules – like an insurance company that protects families against risks, but which also asks for the installation of smoke alarms and proper locks, to minimise those risks.

What DOES it Ask Countries to Do?

It asks countries to reduce their underlying Government deficit to no more than half of one percent of everything produced in that economy in that year (GDP).

It asks for countries to abide by a common set of rules, but there is flexibility in times of crisis. When the economy weakens, the Government can support spending and jobs by borrowing. And when the economy grows strongly, the Government repays public debts.

It also asks countries to bring, over a period of twenty years, their total Government debt (including money borrowed in previous years) down to safe levels (60% of the total output of the economy).

If countries are in “exceptional circumstances”, these rules are suspended and Governments can borrow more to support jobs and growth.

 What DOES it NOT Ask Countries to Do?

It does NOT ask countries to give up their sovereignty. Countries will still draft their own budgets, and make their own decisions on tax and spending. The only difference is that all countries agree to abide by the same rules.

It does NOT ask countries to change their corporation tax, income tax or any other policies of this type. The rules that all countries abide by will be the same – how they get there is up to each individual state.

It does NOT ask countries to change existing arrangements. Our IMF/ECB/EU Programme has seen us commit to bringing our deficit down to under 3% of GDP by 2015. This does not change.

What Will it Mean for Ireland?

It will mean stability. Just as your mortgage has to be protected by home insurance, Ireland will find it easier to reach full recovery if we are protected by the EU rescue fund.

It will mean more investment for jobs. As the only English speaking country using the Euro, we are very attractive to companies that have recently invested here, like Paypal, Sky, Eli Lilly, HP, and Microsoft. These companies want to be in a stable country that uses the Euro – and that’s where we need to stay.

It will mean that never again can a government nearly bankrupt the State through “giveaway” budgets for electoral gain – as has happened here twice in a generation. Never again can the Euro be dragged into a crisis by the instability of individual Member States.

 What does it NOT Mean for Ireland?

It does NOT mean that we are locked into “austerity”. Money can be put away when there are surpluses, and higher deficits can be run when there are “exceptional circumstances”.

It does NOT mean that our budgets and financial policies will be decided in Brussels or Berlin. EVERYONE agrees to abide by the same rules. We make our own decisions on how to adhere to those rules.

It does NOT mean that we are locked into a completely rigid set of rules, with fines and condemnation if we do not reach them. The EU’s common sense approach to countries in difficulty has been far more flexible than those opposed to the treaty would admit to.

Why Should you Vote for It?

A “Yes” vote protects the Euro in your pocket – it means more investment and less austerity. If we reject the Treaty, we may have problems funding ourselves. This could lead to extra cutbacks and tax hikes.

A “Yes” vote shows that we are a safe, stable place for Foreign Direct Investment and a committed, integral part of the European market.

A “Yes” vote will mean lower interest rates in the medium term for small businesses and home-owners, helping to stabilise property prices.

A “Yes Vote is a good idea, and it makes sense. It only “rubber-stamps” what we are already doing. We have already committed to balancing our books. All this does is formalise that commitment.

If you wish to read the Treaty in full, you can download it here. 

Are you 65+ years of age? Do you have a small repair job that you would like to have done? Age Action’s Care & Repair service uses a pool of trustworthy volunteer handypersons to carry out minor repairs and odd jobs for older people who find it difficult to do these jobs themselves.

Some of the jobs that their volunteers can do include changing light bulbs, tacking down carpets, minor painting and decorating, hanging curtains, minor gardening, minor carpentry and installing smoke alarms. The service is free; you only pay for the materials used. For bigger jobs that are beyond the scope of our volunteers, we maintain a register of reliable and honest tradespersons whose contact details we can provide. We can also arrange regular social visits to older people.

All volunteers are Garda vetted and carry official Age Action identification cards. To arrange to have a job done for you, simply call 021-4536554 and we will arrange to have local volunteers contact you.

Age Action is Ireland’s leading charity for older people. We believe that Ireland should be the best place in which to grow older. We work to fight discrimination, promote positive ageing and improve policies and services for all older people.

Phone: 021-4536554

From the outset, I’d like you to know that I am voting in favour of the Variation and that I have voted previously in favour of disposing of the 6.82acres to the GAA, on two separate occasions.

There are many factors which affected my decision and I’ll try to outline them here for you.

Background:

The City Council proposes to facilitate the upgrading of Pairc Ui Chaoimh, increasing the capacity from 43,000 to 50,000 and the development of a Centre of Excellence including an all-weather playing pitch and 1,000 seat spectator stand. As I have previously said, I am hugely supportive of the GAA’s wish to redevelop Pairc Ui Chaoimh, something that the stadium has been in need of for a great many years.

Economic benefits to Cork City:

At present, Cork does not have a stadium with the capability of hosting major sporting events. As the second largest region in the State, the absence of such a facility has been holding us back and has resulted in the City missing out on the revenues that accompany such major sporting events. Time and time again, Cork City is bypassed for concert venues such as Thomond Park in Limerick and the INEC in Killarney, with somewhere in the region of €10million and upwards in revenues to City traders being lost on each occasion.

The potential to the City if the GAA do go ahead with this proposal is immense. From both an employment perspective during the construction stages and also the longer term benefits to the City from an economic perspective. Pairc Ui Chaoimh represents the best opportunity for the region to have a high-quality sporting and outdoor concert venue.

Docklands Kick-start:

The development of the Docklands is essential to ensuring that Cork continues as a contemporary and vibrant city. The potential of this area was recognised in the 1990s culminating in the publication of the Cork Docklands Development Strategy in 2001. This set out a vision for a new urbanised quarter including residential, employment and leisure opportunities.

However in over a decade since this report was published, little or nothing of the Docklands has been developed.

The significant investment by the GAA in the furthermost point of the South Docks could be just what is needed to bring other investment and development to the area.

The benefits of activity being brought to the area through the proposed year round use by the GAA of the new facilities, in particular the Centre of Excellence and this visible development work in Cork Docklands area, can lead others to invest in an equally sizable way.

Parking and Traffic Issues:

At times there are significant parking and traffic issues experienced by those living closest to Pairc Ui Chaoimh. This is frustrating for the residents and at times can be quite dangerous when Emergency vehicles need access.

To develop Pairc Ui Chaoimh – the GAA will have to address these difficulties. As a condition of the sale and I am sure as a condition of planning, if it is granted, the GAA will need to assess the traffic impact of the proposed development and will have to address these.

None of these issues will be addressed if the stadium remains as it is. The planning process will give people the opportunity to have these problems rectified.

Sales Price to the GAA:

The current market value of the lands is professionally valued at €90,000 per acre, recognising the negligible market demand, lack of bank funding and poor confidence levels.

The consideration agreed with the GAA for the disposal of the 6.82 acres is equivalent to €249,267 per acre at a disposal value of €1.7m. This is professionally considered to be substantially above market value.

There is a long history associated with the securing of the Showgrounds land for City development culminating with a CPO process and settlement by way of arbitration.

The settlement of compensation for the Showgrounds land was essentially under the rules that apply to ‘equivalent reinstatement’ as opposed to market value being applied. Building costs made up a major proportion of the settlement figure, indeed up to 80%.

It is, however, the case that the “bubble” character of the market in 2007 may have reflected values of between €400,000 and €500,000 per acre. However, by 2009 the market had dropped significantly as reflected by the purchase of lands at Curraheen by the City Council at €177,000 per acre.

It is also important to recognise that, if no development were to proceed at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, there would still be a need for regularisation of circulation space around the existing stadium. This would effectively require 1.66 acres at a minimum and would be land which would not be capable of being integrated into Marina Park.

However, the purchase price and the development contributions that will arise, if planning is granted, will be make up a significant portion of the monies needed to develop Marina Park.

Marina Park / Location of the Training Pitch:

There has been some discussion about the location within this site, of the second or training pitch. Under the variation – the second pitch will be located to the south of Pairc Ui Chaoimh. An alternative has been suggested that this pitched should be positioned to the west of the stadium.

On this issue, I have spoken to the City Manager, the Director of Services for Strategic Planning and Economic Development and the Consulting Engineers for the GAA.

I have been advised that there are practical and infrastructural difficulties in placing the pitch on the west of the stadium.

Firstly, the Eastern Gateway Bridge, as planned as part of the Docklands development is proposed to come in to the south docks, at this point. If we are to realise the potential of the docklands – this bridge and the associated roads, are of strategic importance. In my opinion we can not jeopardise this significant infrastructural component, if we are serious about advancing the Docklands area as a new quarter within the City.

I have also been advised that is would be more problematic to integrate both the training pitch and the Eastern Gateway Bridge into Marina Park.

The development of Marina Park is very long term project. It is expected that this will be developed as the Docklands Project itself progresses, over the next 20 to 25years. In the much nearer future, the former Kinsale Road landfill will provide for a 115 acre amenity park for use by the general public. These plans include provisions for walkways, play areas and playing pitches.

Disposal to a Private Organisation:

Some have been critical that Council would dispose of publicly owned lands to a private group. However this has always been the case, right across the City.

On many numerous occasions in the past, Cork City Council has given land to primary and secondary schools, and a whole host of different sporting groups, whether they are rugby, rowing, soccer, hurling, football, camogie – in every instance Cork City council has tried to facilitate the expanse of sporting areas within our city.

It is also the intention of the County Board, to open up the training pitch to the local schools and clubs in the area. In my opinion, this will be a very public amenity.

The Acres…..

Under Compulsory Purchase Order in 2006, the Council acquired 21.8acres from the Munster Agricultural Society.

The entire area of the proposed Marina Park is over 85 acres.

Tonight we are proposing to vary 6.82acres.

Detailed plans were prepared for provision of a new floating pontoon, including removal of the existing concrete structure, and a Foreshore Lease application was lodged with the Foreshore Unit of the Department of Environment, & Local Government in June 2010. The Department following public consultation, have now confirmed approval of the Foreshore Lease, no submissions being made in relation to the proposed works.

The new floating pontoon proposal has been informed by a number of factors, namely the nature of the existing old waterfront wall and nature of the adjacent on shore ground conditions, the budget available, limitations imposed by the Foreshore Unit, consideration of Port of Cork concerns and local coastal processes.

Owing to the risk of potentially considerable cost implications associated with significant works to the old quay wall, and area behind it, the new pontoon structure was developed on the assumption of minimal works to the quay wall and grassed slope behind.

The pontoon is located so that it does not interfere with the main River Lee shipping channel, sitting 6m off the quay wall. The above is the maximum distance acceptable to the Port of Cork to maintain a safe width from shipping traffic.

Works are estimated to cost €200k approx. It is intended to seek tenders before month end, with new pontoon to be in place by mid Summer. The pontoon will be a public facility owed and managed by City Council.

The streetscape on Oliver Plunkett Street was renewed from April 2004 to December 2006. The scheme design allowed for no kerb height at the interface of the footway and carriageway on the southern side of the street and bollards were installed to ensure that vehicles would not encroach onto the footpath.

Two broad categories of bollards were used, illuminated and unlit (aka dummy bollards).

There were 16 dummy bollards of similar cross section. These dummy types were installed at street corners where it was anticipated vehicles might hit and damage the illuminated type.

Allowance was made for some illuminated bollards being damaged and 17  spare bollards were provided as part of the original contract. Any damaged bollard would be replaced with one of these spares. Cork City Council made an arrangement whereby the contractor who originally installed the bollards would be engaged from time to time to replace damaged bollards.

Unfortunately damage to these bollards by careless driving practices has far exceeded expectations. Records indicate that between 1st January 2009 and 2nd November 2011 alone the contractor was called to the street on 30 different occasions to replace damaged bollards. As the stock of spare bollards became exhausted, an undesirable mix of different types of bollards combined with non-working illuminated lights has been created.

It is now quite apparent that the system of having damaged bollards replaced with temporary pipes etc and then replacing them every few years is not sustainable in the long term from both a cost and an aesthetic point of view.

An analysis over five years indicates that illuminated bollards and also dummy bollards in certain sections are continuously being hit/damaged.

The proposal recommends that the illuminated bollards which are prone to repeated damage be replaced with unlit dummy bollards. There are other locations where individual illuminated bollards have been damaged but these should be replaced with illuminated bollards as the damage may be a once off situation. The square sectioned dummy bollards can now be acquired at a relatively inexpensive cost and these should be used in accident prone locations.

The estimated cost of bringing the scheme to an acceptable state as described above is €75,000. Thereafter it is envisaged that annual maintenance costs will be in the order of €20,000 but this should reduce significantly with time.

The garden exhibited at the 2011 Chelesea Flower Show was Phase I of a larger landscape project for the Mardyke. Phase II involved the creation of an iconic landscape on an area of land opposite the Band Field and included the incorporation of the Chelesea Garden as a feature element.

The total budget available for the entire project is €2.37m, Failte Ireland providing 83% of the total cost with the Council funding the balance amounting to €406,000.

Issues arose between Cork City Council and Diarmuid Gavin Designs Ltd., during the lead up to the Chelesea Show and in particular issues relating to procurement and designs for Phase I and II of the project. To overcome the issues of procurement in relation to Phase I, Failte Ireland agreed for the Council to purchase the Chelesea Garden and manage Phase II at the Mardyke in accordance with the National Procurement Guidelines.

Meaningful engagement in relation to Phase II with Diarmuid Gavin Designs Ltd post Chelesea has been non existent and the Council was left with no alternative but to proceed with the project without their involvement.

The proposal for Phase II ‘Mardyke Gardens’ Project objectives are to provide a wide range of iconic Garden/Horticulture visitor and tourist attractions within Fitzgerald’s Park in a pleasant landscape setting that will add to the unique attraction of the Mardyke. It is proposed to complete the works by December 2012.

The proposed iconic features/works were advertised in accordance with Part 8 of the Planning & Development Regulations 2001 in the Irish Examiner on the 18th January 2012.  No submissions were received in relation to the proposed development, the closing date for same being 14th March 2012.

The proposed works will add considerably to the enjoyment and attractiveness of Fitzgerald’s Park and the Mardyke for park users and will be a major tourist attraction for visitors to the city.

The museum, is  housed in the original City Hall building and contains, among other important items, portraits of 75 Lords Mayor who have held office since the establishment of the title.

Information panels chronicling the history of the landmark building, the city council, and the office of lord mayor have been installed. It will eventually become part of a walking tourist trail.

Upstairs, on the lord mayor’s landing, framed photographs of every lord mayor since 1989 have been hung on the corridor walls. Black and white photographs of every lord mayor since 1900 hang inside the board room.

Display cabinets have been installed to house artefacts associated with the office of lord mayor, including the great sword of Cork and the freeman of the city casket.

The Museum is open to member’s of the public and entry is free of charge.