Plan to refurbish market for royal visit a waste of money

I WISH to protest in the strongest possible terms to the reported proposed expenditure of €250,000 on refurbishing part of the English Market for the forthcoming visit of Queen Elizabeth. It cannot have escaped the council’s notice that this country is struggling with an unprecedented financial crisis.

It must be evident to the council that this proposed expenditure from public funds is grossly inappropriate, and indeed amounts to an insult to the people of Cork city and county.

Surely the cost of any “improvements” deemed necessary should be carried by the market traders themselves, running viable businesses there, and who would be the prime beneficiaries of any increase in custom that the publicity generated by the visit might bring?