UCC expert warns against merging city and county councils

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

Aodh Quinlivan, a lecturer in UCC’s Department of Government, also said West Cork was now one of the most under-represented regions in the country following the abolition of town councils last year.

He plans to argue for a major extension of the city boundary to encompass a population of between 250,000 and 270,000 to put Cork in a more competitive position and in the company of more appropriate cities and regions in terms of scale.