Mayor: People would be better off in county

The war of words between two local authorities over a boundary extension intensified yesterday when the mayor of one council outlined a number of reasons why people would be better off in his jurisdiction.

The mayor of Co Cork, Declan Hurley, said people living in areas within the county earmarked to be subsumed by the city — Cork Airport, Ballincollig, Blarney, Glanmire, Little Island, and Carrigtwohill — would not have a better quality of life after the transition.

Mr Hurley said the city had the second highest concentration of unemployment blackspots in the State and people would be faced with a significant lack of, and access to, quality and affordable housing.