Deirdre Forde: I will be 'a listening lord mayor' of Cork City

Fine Gael councillor Deirdre Forde replaced Fianna Fáil councillor Colm Kelleher, while Independent councillor Danny Collins became lord mayor of Co Cork.

Fine Gael councillor Deirdre Forde, the newly-elected mayor of Cork City, is congratulated by her predecessor Colm Kelleher. Picture: Jim Coughlan

The new lord mayor of Cork has pledged to put city centre revitalisation centre stage and is willing to listen to anyone with good ideas that can help create a city for all.

Fine Gael councillor Deirdre Forde was speaking on Friday after she was elected 21 votes to five at the first city council AGM to take place in City Hall’s historic council chamber for two years.

Ms Forde, who lives in Douglas and who represents the city’s southeast ward, was joined at the ceremony by close family and friends, including her sons Darren and Jonathan; his wife Samantha; her grandchildren Rory, Macdarragh, and Freddy; her brother Noel; and her niece, Corine. 

Her daughter Susie watched the meeting online from Melbourne, with her family.

Ms Forde said she plans to drive the sustainability agenda, the promotion of the arts, and further female participation in politics through the council’s Women’s Caucus.

“We must endeavour to support our hardworking business community, those who create jobs and come up with ideas, those who give employment and who are critical to the economic growth of our city," she said.

I want to be a listening lord mayor. My door is open to anyone who has an idea or solution to any or all of our opportunities and challenges.” 

First elected to Cork County Council in 1999, and to the city council in 2019, she takes over from Fianna Fáil councillor Colm Kelleher, who repeated his call for a supervised injection centre in the city centre.

Earlier, in the county, newly-elected mayor of Co Cork, Independent councillor Danny Collins, said his priority will be to get the region its fair share of funding from central government.

Independent councillor Danny Collins, the new mayor of Co Cork, with his partner Noreen Coakley pictured at the annual meeting of Cork County Council, where he was unanimously elected.

Mr Collins said research carried out by the All-Island Research Observatory in Maynooth, published in May 2021, clearly showed that for its size and population, Cork county is not getting its fair share of Government funding for roads, rural regeneration projects, and coastal infrastructure.

I want to blow the dust off this report and, with the executive of Cork County Council, meet with the relevant ministers and try to get much-needed funding for our county,” he said.

Mr Collins — who runs The Boston Bar pub in Bantry and is the brother of Cork South West Independent TD Michael Collins — said he wants to visit as many towns and villages in the county as he can during his term and engage with the many voluntary organisations.

Councillors paid tribute to outgoing mayor, Bandon-based Fianna Fáil councillor Gillian Coughlan, who said it had been “an extraordinary privilege” to represent the county.

Fianna Fáil councillor Deirdre O’Brien replaces Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen as deputy mayor.