Cork Council Merger: City councillors vow to ‘fight this tooth and nail’

“The city councillors will fight this tooth and nail,” whispered one of Cork’s longest-serving county councillors as Minister Alan Kelly unveiled the merger plan.

Minutes after Mr Kelly finished his speech, Cork’s Lord Mayor, Sinn Féin councillor Chris O’Leary, confirmed Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty’s fears.

Mr Hegarty, who served on the county council for 31 years, felt a merger was the right decision and the vast majority of his 54 colleagues in the county agree.