Cork is my home and Cork city is a place that I am immensely proud of. I love my city. I love my county and recognise the great work that is carried out in both areas every day of the week by both the city and county councils.

However, there are now people from outside Cork who have little knowledge of us — and where we live — and they are trying to tell all of us what is best for our future.

The Mackinnon Report on the Cork City boundary is deeply flawed . The people of Cork deserve better.

The authors of the report did not consult with the people of Cork, they listened to very few and decided to ignore countless options, issues and solutions put before them.

This is not about one part of Cork being better than any other part, it is about Cork as a whole surviving, thriving and developing into the future. The Mackinnon Report will damage Cork, it will slow our development as the second city and push development in the county back decades. If implemented, the findings of the report will hinder both the city and county in sourcing investment, attracting tourism and developing communities.

It is baffling at a time when city and county councils are merging in Galway and in Limerick that we here in Cork are even considering dividing and separating. We all have witnessed the problems the urban sprawl has brought to Dublin. The findings of the Mackinnon Report if implemented would increase the size of Cork City by 80%. This would be a disaster for our city. It would be unmanageable; it would present huge issues in existing and new urban communities. It will do untold damage for generations to come to Cork City and county.

Everyone agrees the city must expand but not in the way the MacKinnon Report is suggesting. The city and county are a tremendous partnership when they work together. Implementing this report will set them against each other for generations and if this happens communities, businesses and people across the county and city will be the big losers. This report’s recommendations if implemented would hamper investment in rural towns and villages of our county and will bring no significant advantage to Cork.

This is the third report published on the city extension and one would have to wonder why the other two did not get the backing of some local Ministers the way this one has. Something is wrong here. Something or someone is trying to drive this one through for another agenda and I firmly believe it is not for the good of Cork people it is being pursued locally and nationally.

We must as a county and city of individual communities come together and ask that this report not be implemented and that serious consideration be given to merging our County and City councils together for the good of all Cork people. Cork — stronger together.

Peter Dineen

Coachford

Co Cork