The new Lord Mayor of Cork is Mr P.J. Hourican of Fine Gael. Mr Hourican's election was a foregone conclusion because of a pact between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour on the city council which gives them 25 votes out of a possible 31. Mr Hourican succeeds Mr Damien Wallace of Fianna Fail.
In his acceptance speech last night, Co Longford-born Mr Hourican said he would take three main themes during his year of office - housing, homelessness and the city's litter problem. He urged Cork Corporation to complete its housing programme by building at least 300 houses during the next 12 months and added that if surplus money became available in the event of other local authorities not meeting their housing quota, Cork Corporation should increase the number of houses built in its area.
He said homelessness in the city was increasing at an alarming rate and there would have to be a co-ordinated approach to tackle the problem and to understand its causes. Litter was another major problem in Cork, he said, and pledged to begin an initiative involving the local authority, the business community and schools in the city.
Mr Hourican, who was born in 1945 at Ballinalee, Co Longford, has been a member of Fine Gael for more than 20 years.
He runs a construction business in Cork and is married with five children.
He has been involved in community work as well as in sporting organisations in the city for several years.