Future Cork: Leaders set out vision for housing, transport and green space

Business and political leaders outline bold plans for housing, transport and greener public spaces in Cork

An event examining the Future of Cork, hosted by the Irish Examiner on Friday, brought together key figures and decision-makers to discuss the city’s changing landscape and the challenges and opportunities it faces over the next decade.

Future Cork 2026, attended by business leaders, politicians and senior policymakers, focused on issues critical to Cork's future, including housing, infrastructure and sustainability.

Speakers included Principal City Planner for Transport for London (TfL), Monika Jain; Cork City Council CEO Valerie O’Sullivan; Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy; Land Development Agency (LDA) chief executive John Coleman; and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who delivered a keynote address before taking part in a fireside chat with Irish Examiner acting political editor Paul Hosford.

Here are the key takeaways from Friday’s event.

‘Lack of green space’ in Cork

During an interview with Irish Examiner opinion editor Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, Monika Jain, principal city planner with TfL, said she saw “a lot of paved surfaces” around Cork, adding that this presented a key opportunity to increase greenery in the city.

Ms Jain also recommended reducing the amount of city space dedicated to cars, which could be “taken for the people,” and suggested creating more public space along the River Lee to maximise the potential of “assets Cork already has.”

A fireside chat between Monika Jain, Principal City planner, transport for London and Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, Opinion Editor, Irish Examiner during the Future Cork event at the Metropole hotel. Picture: Chani Anderson

Cork Docklands ‘will be a 15-minute city’

Cork City Council CEO Valerie O’Sullivan said the city must move at pace to deliver adequate public transport. She said the ambitious Cork Docklands project, which aims to deliver 10,000 homes, “will be a 15-minute city.”

“We have nearly 1,000 people working there already, before the public transport links are even perfected, because they are 15 minutes, either by bike or on foot, from the city centre.”

Ms O’Sullivan also said the Albert Quay to Cork Docklands project, which will deliver a new boardwalk and floating pontoon to connect both sides of the river, is “ready to go,” with works set to begin imminently.

Call for NTA-led partnership with Cork City Council

Discussing future transport plans, Cork Chamber chief executive Conor Healy called for strong coordination between the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Cork City Council to deliver BusConnects and the Cork Luas.

Video Vox Pop showing on screen at the Future Cork 2026 event at The Metropole Hotel, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

“I do believe we need to have an NTA-led partnership with the city council where the delivery teams for BusConnects, the Cork Luas, and rail, are all working together under one roof, delivering public transport in a coordinated manner.

City council to act on derelict properties

Speaking to Irish Examiner property editor Catherine Shanahan, Ms O’Sullivan said the council will bring a derelict property on North Main Street forward for resolution in the coming weeks, along with additional properties on Kyrl’s Quay.

She added that the council is working “very closely” with University College Cork (UCC) on future uses for “at least one of those derelict properties” on Kyrl’s Quay.

Cork’s future is 'multicultural and multi ethnic'

Paul Hosford, Irish Examiner Deputy Political Editor interviews Taoiseach Michéal Martin during the fireside discussion at the Future Cork event at the Metropole hotel. Picture: Chani Anderson

In his keynote address, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Cork’s future will be that of a “multicultural and multi ethnic city.”

“Migration is central [to Cork] and its growth. We have a lot of different ethnicities here.”

The Taoiseach added that public discourse “can never be surrendered” to those who would “undermine what is a key factor in the growth of Cork as a modern European city.”

Cork’s future to have ‘strong residential component’

Mr Martin also highlighted planned housing developments, telling attendees the city centre needs more homes while protecting its architectural heritage.

“We could bring quality living back to the city, and I think the city of the future will have a stronger residential component to it than perhaps the last 50 years had.”