Lord mayor criticises Smiddy for dismissing expert’s Cork merger review

The lord mayor of Cork has criticised businessman Alf Smiddy for what he described as his “infantile” reaction to an international review which found flaws in his controversial Cork council merger report.

Cllr Des Cahill was speaking yesterday after the Irish Examiner revealed details of the unpublished review, which said the Smiddy-chaired Cork Local Government Review (CLGR) group’s shelved majority report lacked evidence to substantiate its merger recommendation.

Public service reform expert, Prof Tony Bovaird, said the recommendation of the group’s so-called minority report — to retain Cork’s two local authorities, and extend the city boundary — was simply better argued.