Labour split on Cork councils merger plan over minister’s ‘premature’ backing

A split has emerged in Labour over the proposal to merge Cork city and county councils, with a TD accusing Environment Minister Alan Kelly of rushing to accept the findings.

Cork South Central’s Ciarán Lynch, chairman of the Oireachtas banking inquiry, also said the local government review was hijacked by the minister’s department.

Mr Lynch urged his party colleague to go back to the drawing board. “I believe the minister was premature in his endorsement of the report,”he said.