Cork council merger makes ‘perfect sense’, businessman says

Cork-born businessman Leslie Buckley has offered his support to a recommendation that Cork City Council and Cork County Council be merged into a single local authority for the county.

Mr Buckley said the proposed merger, recommended by the Cork Government Review Group, chaired by former Beamish & Crawford managing director Alf Smiddy, made “perfect sense”.

He said he particularly liked the idea of the merged entity promoting “one Cork”.

“The recommendation of merging Cork City and County Councils is a major step in the right direction in that it will create a much stronger Cork brand, which will benefit the county and city as a whole in terms of social and economic cohesion,” he said.

Mr Buckley, who is chairman of Independent News & Media, said there were many “obvious synergies” to be gained from the merger including being able to offer more centralised and cohesive service to Cork and its citizens.

He said the greatest benefits would be derived in the business sector with the merged authority offering a genuine opportunity for Cork to capitalise on its commercial base and the entrepreneurial ethos of its citizens.

“Cork can become a major commercial powerhouse across either Ireland or Britain,” said Mr Buckley. He said the commerce faculty in UCC could become a centre of excellence and play a significant role in promoting Cork as a location for business and commercial success.

Mr Buckley said he believed that many global technology giants and social media enterprises currently located in Dublin would be attracted to a rejuvenated Cork as many such operations are looking to expand their presence in Ireland.

One of the clear benefits of a cohesive strategy for Cork would be job creation and the establishment of a single unitary authority would not only set a national standard but would enable Cork to become “a beacon for international trade and commerce,” he added.