County Mayor's Diary
As we start looking towards Christmas this year, I’m encouraging people to show their support for the town of Midleton following the recent devastating floods with a series of events planned in the build-up to the holidays.
The Christmas lights will be turned on during a day-long programme of events on Sunday 19 November. The Midleton Christmas Lights Committee have put huge work into making sure the turning-on ceremony is bigger and brighter than ever this year, so I would encourage everyone to shop local this year and support the cause.
Moving on to transport, I recently had the pleasure of welcoming Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to Macroom to officially open the final section of the N22 Macroom to Baile Bhuirne bypass. Although the weather didn’t hold up for us on the day, this important milestone was very much welcomed by residents of Baile Mhic Íre and Baile Bhuirne. The reduction in heavy goods vehicles will make access to the local schools and businesses a lot safer and will have a hugely positive impact on air pollution for the towns. We are committed to achieving sustainable social and economic development in rural areas and making our towns and villages attractive places to live, work and visit.
Cork County Council has also reached a significant milestone in the development of the Cork to Kinsale Greenway with the appointment of consultant Arup as technical advisors to oversee the initial design phases of the project. I welcomed the commencement of the first stage of the project with a contract signing at Cork County Hall this week. The Cork to Kinsale Greenway further demonstrates our dedication to fostering sustainable transport solutions and enhancing the quality of life for our residents and visitors.
On the topic of sustainability, our Make One Change campaign is in full swing for the month of November. I’m asking the people of Cork County to think about climate change and to make small, practical changes to their lifestyles in support of climate action. The awareness month is timely as the Council has released its draft Climate Action Plan for public consultation. I invite members of the public to visit corkcoco.ie to have their say.
Moving onto libraries and arts, the council is inviting proposals for funding for arts projects, activities and events taking place in the Cork county administrative area in 2024 that may be eligible for funding under a range of grant assistance schemes available. The arts are integral to our communities, our schools, and our citizens. As well as supporting artists and arts organisations, we support festivals, performances, exhibitions, and other publicly accessible cultural programmes throughout county Cork. Please email arts@corkcoco.ie to find out more information.