Sinn Féin set out vision for city

Sinn Féin have set out the party’s vision for the future of Cork city in a comprehensive policy document which includes 94 recommdations in key areas such as employment, childcare and dereliction.

Addressing the press earlier this week, Tomas Gould TD for Cork North Central said: “We love Cork and we want it to be the best city it can be. We want to see people have a good quality of life, and can feel that they can enjoy their lives.”

Speaking about job creation in the city Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD for Cork South Central, proposed encouraging large businesses to employ people from disadvantaged areas. “Significant employers, when they're located in areas that have disadvantage, should be incentivised to ensure that a substantial part of their workforce is from the local area,” he said.

“There are still areas of the city where those high rates of unemployment especially among young people. We want to see that Cork City Council will aim to employ at least 20% from within the local community in areas that are identified on the Pobal Deprivation Index,” added Mr Gould.

Dereliction

He also highlighted the detrimental impact dereliction was having through the main spine of the city. He said that a targeted strategy, aimed at bringing this stock back to use with prioritisation made for the collection of the Derelict Sites Levy, would rejuvenate the area.

“The whole issue of dereliction and vacancy, we believe is one of the biggest blights that faces the city,” he said.

“Go down to North Main Street, areas of Shandon Street, Barrack St, and you see the scandalous condition it’s been left in. What we are looking for is a ‘use it or lose it’ aggressive strategy by the council to tackle these derelict landlords and to take them on. We believe if landlords aren't going to use these properties that there should be compulsory purchase order for either housing or to create outlets for business opportunities. We have so many properties vacant or derelict, we need the council to develop a strategy to tackle that,” he added.

The document also recommends a survey of all vacant Above the Shop Units and owners to be contacted. It suggests City Council establish a forum whereby owners of commercial vacant units can engage with small businesses and community groups to form partnerships for meanwhile use.

Childcare options

Another area highlighted in the policy document was the lack of childcare options for parents in the city. “Childcare needs to be treated as a public service, and be readily accessible,” said Mr. O’ Laoghaire.

From 2017 to mid-2022, 73 childcare services have ceased business in Cork city and county, along with a steady decline in available places. The document proposes that Cork City Council develop a strategy along with TUSLA, the Department of Children, and with the Cork City Childcare Committee to ensure this shortage is redressed, focused on sustainable funding, and potentially considering favourable approach to rates, and planning policies.

Housing Ukranians

When asked about his position on housing Ukranians after a protest took place last week outside the gates of the former Dominican retreat house in Ennismore, Mr Gould said: “There's been a number of areas where they (Ukranians) have gone in and we have in fact met with them and supported them. The problem is that the Government are not working with communities. "The people of Cork are really welcoming, decent people. And we have seen during the crisis how the people of Cork have come out to welcome them in their communities. We need the government to have a proper strategy and implement it, and unfortunately that’s the problem for City Council. They can only work with what the Govt and department are doing,” he said.