New role for mills

Eoin English

Cork County Council confirmed it will open a customer call centre in Ballincollig’s Gunpowder Mills Heritage Centre which closed in 2003.

It is understood the council is the first local authority outside Dublin to set up such a customer care facility.

Local councillor Mark O’Keeffe (FF) said that while it was disappointing the heritage centre could not be reopened as a tourist attraction, he said it was fantastic to see the building finally being used in a useful way.

Cllr Michael Creed, Mayor of Cork County, also welcomed the development.

“If lifts a cloud that was hanging over the centre and guarantees its future,” he said.

Eight call centre staff and a manager will be based at the centre from September.

They will handle phone call queries about motor tax and pay-by-weight refuse charges from people in the council’s southern area for a trial two-year period.

The centre will be open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.