The taxpayer has no way of clawing back almost €72m in money spent on the national children’s hospital if the project falls at the planning permission hurdle again.

New plans have been lodged for a motorway service area off the M8 motorway near Fermoy in north Cork.

The increase this month in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy, that all electricity users pay to support the renewable energy industry, should prompt a pause for thought about the rollout of this industry here.

Objectors to the Port of Cork’s plans for a €100m expansion of its terminal in Ringaskiddy have expressed shock and anger at a revelation that the National Roads Authority does not know when it will upgrade roads to service the development.

The Port of Cork has admitted it was involved in a serious incident last year, when dust from cargo being unloaded in Ringaskiddy clogged the air filters of a major pharmaceutical plant.

The Irish Maritime Development Office, operating under the auspices of the Department of Transport, has given its backing to the Port of Cork’s plans for a €100m-plus upgrade of its deep water container facilities at Ringaskiddy.

An appeal has been lodged in relation to the recent grant of permission for changes to the Douglas Court Shopping Centre on Cork’s southside.

The Port of Cork is to adopt a web booking system for hauliers which has been pioneered by an English port to cut down on traffic gridlock at peak times.

Claims and counterclaims have been made over whether the Port of Cork breached planning regulations by developing part of its terminal at Ringaskiddy after it was refused permission in 2008 to expand facilities there.

Mahon Point 

A legal challenge has been launched against An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant planning permission for an electricity generating windfarm in Co Tipperary.

Recently appointed Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe is being lobbied to get work started on building the long-awaited Macroom town bypass.

The long-running national children’s hospital plan risks being delayed yet again, after it emerged the chosen site for the building is on the grounds of an ancient mass paupers’ grave.

The recent decision of Cork City Council to allow a previously-permitted development change from retail to mostly office use has been referred to An Bord Pleanála.

Waterford City and County Council has refused planning permission for a windfarm project close to Dungarvan.

We call on the Government to review Irish energy policy in light of recent changes in renewable power technologies. 

The GAA is to provide free cardiac screening to teenagers living near Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork city as part of an agreement secured over a planned €70m redevelopment of the stadium.

Residents from the well-heeled Merrion Rd, and others in Dublin 4, have failed in their attempts to block the world’s biggest democracy establishing a new embassy on the road.

Significant internal and external changes to Cork’s Merchants Quay Shopping Centre are proposed in an application lodged last week.