The former president of the Cork Business Association has broken ranks with the group to welcome the proposed merger of Cork’s city and county councils, which is now the focus of a major legal challenge.

William Brady, Jonathan Hall, and Brendan O’Sullivan of UCC’s planning department raise serious concerns after reading the Smiddy report favouring the merger of Cork city and county councils

EARLIER this week the Smiddy report was published and — unsurprisingly — it supported the expressed views of Environment Minister Alan Kelly by recommending, by the narrowest possible margin, that Cork City and County Councils be amalgamated.

The Smiddy report on the amalgamation of the two local authorities in Cork has recommended the ratio of councillors to constituents be altered, especially in West Cork where their number has been reduced but the area of representation significantly increased.

THAT the report from a five-person committee asked to consider the amalgamation of Cork city and county councils submitted to Environment Minister Alan Kelly last week was adopted by the narrowest possible margin is not at all surprising. Indeed, any other outcome would have been entirely unexpected.

A possible merger of Cork city and county council into a single, unified super-council is being considered as part of the landmark review of the region’s local government structures.

There is almost universal support for the creation of a much larger metropolitan Cork region, the consultant overseeing the review of the region’s local government structures has said.

A war of words has erupted between Cork city and county councils during the review of the region’s local government structures after city claims it has identified a €5m error in county figures.

An expert in local government has warned against the merging of Cork city and county councils.