Local elections: Everything you need to know about the Cork City South Central constituency
Veteran Green Party candidate Dan Boyle is joined by party leader Eamon Ryan out on the campaign trail on Noonan’s Road, Cork.
- Dan Boyle, Green
- David Boyle, FF
- Anna Daly, Aontú
- Paudie Dineen, Non Party
- Joe Harris, Independent Ireland
- Fiona Kerins, SF
- Shane Patrick Laird, PBP/Solidarity
- Dr Lekha Menon Margassery, Labour
- Sean Martin, FF
- Luke McGrath, SF
- Tommy Murphy, Ireland First
- William O’Brien, Non-Party
- Shane O’Callaghan, FG
- Joel Rajesh, Non-Party
- Padraig Rice, Social Democrats
: 41,000
: 6
: 6,833
: Mick Finn (Ind), Dan Boyle (GP), Sean Martin (FF), Shane O’Callaghan (FG), Paudie Dineen (Ind), Fiona Kerins (SF)
The retirement of former Lord Mayor, Independent councillor Mick Finn, has opened up the race in the Cork South Central local electoral area (LEA), with 15 candidates contesting for six seats in an area which includes most of the historic city centre island, University College Cork’s sprawling campus, as well as several inner city residential areas, many of which are earmarked for major population growth over the next decade.
This LEA has the greatest mix of political representation of any of the city’s five LEAs, with two independents, and one each for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party and Sinn Féin.
Mr Finn topped the poll in 2019 with 16.5% of the first preference vote.
He was followed by veteran Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, with 13.75% of the vote, and just 24 votes behind by Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Martin, who claims the longest-serving term on council, first co-opted in 1997 to the seat vacated by his brother, Tánaiste Micheál Martin.
Fine Gael's Shane O’Callaghan took the fourth seat with 11.66% of the first preference votes, followed by Sinn Féin’s councillor Fiona Kerins with 6.64% and Independent Paudie Dineen with 5.21%.
The LEA’s north western boundary starts at Victoria Cross, and runs eastwards to include UCC’s main campus, the Mardyke and Fitzgerald’s Park, splitting North Main St and Half Moon St and running to a point midway across St Patrick's Bridge, before continuing east to the confluence of the two channels of the river Lee, taking in most of the historic city centre island, and the residential areas of Ballyphehane, Evergreen, Gillabbey, Greenmount, Mardyke, Pouladuff, The Lough, Togher, Tramore, Turners Cross, and parts of Douglas.
The LEA runs south to include the N27 South Link Road and the Kinsale Road Roundabout, with the jewel that is Tramore Valley Park on one side and the Lough on the other.
It includes major sporting grounds, such as Nemo Rangers’ complex to the east, and Mugsrave Park and Turner’s Cross on the western side.
The LEA continues south of the N40 to include Vernon Mount, the suburban areas of Frankfield, and parts of Grange, and continues south as far as the access road to Cork Airport, but not the airport itself, and the less densely populated areas around Lehenaghmore and south of Grange/Frankfield, with several industrial estates on or just off the N40, home to thousands of workers.
There has been a significant population growth in the city since the last census, and according to data from Census 2022, this LEA has the largest proportion of non-Irish born residents of any of the city’s LEAs, with an almost equal number of Polish and Indians (around 1,700) and a further 6,700 people from non-EU countries, with informed sources suggesting Ukrainians account for most of that, with another almost 7,300 from ‘the rest of the world’.
And not surprisingly for an LEA with a university, Census 2022 data shows that a quarter of its population are under the age of 24, and it has a higher rate of rented private accommodation than properties owned outright.
The city centre area of this LEA faced many challenges as it sought to recover and re-invent itself post covid with an increase in online purchases and a drop in the number of city centre-based office workers.
Despite an increase in pedestrianisation and outdoor dining options, city businesses in general, but hospitality in particular, bore the brunt of soaring inflation and energy costs, leading to several high-profile casualties, prompting wider fears for the future of the city centre itself.
Dereliction, vacancy, graffiti and the lack of public toilets in the city have been in the spotlight for several years, with the redevelopment of Bishop Lucey Park and the disposal of a small section of it to the Freemasons to facilitate better public access to their historic lodge next door a major political issue last year.
The event centre saga and the nearby vacant Sullivan’s Quay site look set to be a thorn in the side of yet another council.
City centre safety, policing, and flood defences have also been key issues, with work on the Morrison’s Island public realm and flood defence scheme set to begin within months.
The strategic transport corridors (STCs) proposed by BusConnects are likely to have a significant impact across this LEA over the next five years with most of the suburban routes from the south, east and west running through this area as they converge on the city.
The new councillors for this ward can expect this, and flood defences, to be among the hot topics over the next term of council.
There have been some positive developments in this LEA over the last council term, with the regeneration of the former derelict Moore’s Hotel site as a new hotel, the regeneration of Elizabeth Fort, new social housing on Barrack’s Street, the ongoing regeneration of the former Roche’s Stores building, the development of improved access to Tramore Valley Park, and the delivery of the active travel bridge, linking Tramore Valley Park to Frankfield.
More is coming, with plans for a major public realm upgrade around South Main St and French’s Quay.
But as is the case in the other LEAs, demand for housing, especially apartments at affordable purchase or rent prices, especially in brownfield inner city locations, better and more reliable public transport, and footpath improvements, are among the main issues being raised by people on the doorsteps.
The future prosperity and security of the city centre will remain key issues too.
Mr Martin is joined on the Fianna Fáil ticket by David Boyle, a machinist from Maryborough. Barrister Shane O’Callaghan is the sole Fine Gael candidate while former TD, Senator and leader of the Green Party group on city council, Cllr Dan Boyle, is running again for the Greens, and Independent Cllr Paudie Dineen is hoping to retain his seat too.
Sinn Féin’s Fiona Kerins’ running mate is parliamentary assistant Luke McGrath, from Lower Pouladuff Road, with the Labour Party running Dr Lekha Menon Margassery, a technical officer of UCC’s School of Microbiology, who ran as an independent in 2019, polling just 1.88% first preference votes.
Anna Daly is standing for Aontú, Shane Patrick Laird from Blarney St is a candidate for People Before Profit, Padraig Rice from Ballyphehane is running for the Social Democrats, with Jeol Rajesh, a medical doctor, is standing as a non-party candidate.
Given the population mix in this area, it will be interesting to watch the performance of Ireland First candidate, Tommy Murphy, a HGV driver from the Douglas Road, and Independent Ireland candidate, Joe Harris, an energy advisor also from the Douglas area.
After 15 years on the council, Mr Finn said he leaves with a mix of pride and frustration.
Large infrastructure projects earmarked for this LEA which would have a major benefit not just for the city, but for the region, have been left to stall despite government plans to make the city and county a counterbalance to Dublin, he said.
The failure to make a start on the event centre during this term on council really annoys him most, he said.
“The event centre saga has gone on for at least 10 years and is now sitting on someone’s desk awaiting a Nero’s decision as to whether or not extra State funding will be provided for what could be a monumental project,” he said.
“The multi-purpose complex will end up costing in the region of €150m, with a third of that provided by the developers behind it — Live Nation and BAM.
“The brief is with Cabinet so the Cork members of that — alongside other representatives — need to step up and get it going. It has taken far too long to get to this point and either the government has interest in Cork or it does not.
“A project of this scale takes time, we all know that. But there have been many false dawns on this and some politicians have staked their political reputations on it being delivered.
“It has been hard to be positive about it, but I have always believed it will be an inspiring project for the city that will help renew the spine of the city including the city centre, as has happened with similar developments around Europe.”
The Cork Area Light Rail project is another major piece of infrastructure that has not even made it to preferred route stage, while BusConnects ambles along, he said.
“I see some people saying on social media recently that we do not need it and it would be a waste of money. That is so short-sighted and blinkered,” he said.
“If we are to change our transport habits, and do our bit for climate change, the development of a Luas-like system is crucial for the growth and expansion of our city. It would join west to east and enhance the exciting new prospects for Docklands which has started.
“Again, I would say there appears to be little or no urgency with the Cork light rail project and this is extremely frustrating. It will take years to complete once the process starts and delaying even the preferred route will add further years on to it. Talk about big wheels moving slowly.”
Mr Finn also expressed the need for the next slew of councillors to keep their eyes on the ball regarding dereliction and the city’s urban landscape.
“Some good stuff has been done but there is a lot of work to do to harness the history of our city, protect the heritage and develop areas and buildings that people will want to go to,” he said.
“There is also a need for senior Garda management to change track and ensure visible city centre policing is boosted for those who work there, shop there or visit there.”
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