Second Cork council merger review a ‘sham and a fudge’

The second review of Cork’s local government arrangements has been branded a “sham” and a “fudge” with city councillors insisting that a city boundary extension is the only way forward.

They called last night on Local Government Minister Simon Coveney, who days ago appointed a new advisory group in a bid to break the impasse, to extend the city boundary and to release to the city council all documentation compiled by the Smiddy group whose controversial city and county council merger recommendation issued last year has now been shelved.

They questioned the make-up of the new review group which includes a retired senior planner from Scotland, a British council chief, and a former president of Cork Chamber — a body which supports a council merger.