County Mayor's Diary

Cllr Joe Carroll

Since I wrote my last column, I have been busy with my council work.

I look forward to using my time as mayor to support communities and businesses across the county of Cork. My key priority is ensuring that Cork County Council is adequately funded by central Government. I want to ensure that we can provide the services that matter most to the people of this incredible county like our local roads that have been devastated by extreme rainfall as well as supporting the growth of our towns and our villages.

Another area I am passionate about is listening to the young people of county Cork. We need to partner with other sectors to keep our young people here, supporting them to create a future of their choosing and giving them every opportunity to live and work in county Cork.

A key priority for me is housing and I’m excited to announce a new affordable housing development in Midleton will open for applications this week. The development at Tir Cluain is situated in this popular residential area just a short walk from Midleton’s town centre and all its amenities. This new scheme demonstrates the work that Cork County Council is doing to achieve the targets set by the Government.

I’m also excited to announce that Cork County Council has received almost €100,000 in funding to progress two Town Centre First Projects in Kinsale and Ladysbridge in county Cork. The projects are among 53 announced by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphries TD. This new funding will enable these projects to take a massive step forward. They both have huge potential to transform their local areas. The parochial community hall in Ladysbridge has served the community well since it was built 70 years ago however, it needs modernisation. I would like to commend the Ballymacoda Ladybridge Community Council and Ladybridge Hall Committee for their vision and incredible work to date. The Short Quay area of Kinsale has long been flagged as needing regeneration and its development will benefit local businesses, residents, and tourists.

In other news a new exhibition exploring the impact of plastics and reimagining how our natural world might be studied by future generations opens at Cork County Council’s LHQ Gallery this week. ‘The Unnatural Museum’ by Ana Maria Surdu opens on Thursday 5 September at 6pm, and runs from 6 September-11 October. This exhibition is saying something vital about the world we live in. Ana Maria Surdu’s works demonstrate how our environment has changed with manmade materials and highlights how we all need to act together to protect our natural environment.