Anger after Cork city manager Lucey 'supersedes' council vote

Cork’s city manager has rejected claims that he has undermined councillors by refusing to follow through on a council vote to seek a €5m Government loan to fund housing repairs.

There were angry exchanges at this week’s council meeting when it emerged that Tim Lucey had not sent a letter asking the environment minister for special Government permission to borrow more than €5m in emergency funding to repair almost 500 vacant houses.

The request to seek the loan was passed by a council vote last September. But when councillors asked the manager for an update on the letter this week, he said he had not sent it.