Council seeks power to retain services

Cork County Council is writing to the Taoiseach asking him to allow local authorities the money and power to ensure further services are not lost to rural areas.

Councillors say it is the way forward for the Government if it fails to appoint a minister with responsibility for rural affairs.

Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) won widespread support from colleagues when he said the absence from Cabinet of somebody who could fight for rural communities was a very retrograde step.

He said rural areas were being depopulated because a wide range of services were being curtailed.

“Communities feel vulnerable because of downgrading of small schools, post offices, ambulances, banks and garda stations,” said the Dunmanway-based councillor.

Cllr Donal O’Rourke (FF) said: “In 1970, Ireland was considered rural rather than urban. That’s changed and now there’s no protection left for rural Ireland. The reality is successive national governments spent money on urbanising society, especially on the east coast, and leaving rural Ireland increasingly abandoned.”

A new umbrella group has been formed in West Cork aimed at retaining schools, Garda stations, and banks.

Cllr Dermot Sheehan (FG) said the taxpayer had bailed out AIB and, in return, the bank “bailed out” of the Mizen peninsula. He said it was not good enough for the bank to close its two branches on the peninsula and, instead, offer locals a mobile banking service three times a week.

Cllr Gerard Murphy (FG) said county councils should be pivotal in retaining rural communities.

His party colleague, Cllr John O’Sullivan agreed. “I’m of the opinion that the best place to deliver services is from a local level — the council.”

County mayor Cllr Barbara Murray (FG) said the council would send a letter to the Department of the Taoiseach detailing its concerns.