Tags: Cork, Ireland, Kieran McCarthy, Lonley Planet, politics
Kieran McCarthy
INDEPENDENT city councillor Kieran McCarthy at last Monday night’s meeting noted that the recent Lonely Planet Guide accolade for Cork is “truly tremendous”.
“It has created a confidence amongst our citizens, our business people, our artists, and our community leaders,” he said.
However, Cllr McCarthy has called on Cork City Council to take the lead on capitalising on this accolade. He outlined that on arrival in Cork Airport in the baggage reclaim area, the first interaction any visitor to Cork gets is an ad to go to Northern Ireland. Coming in on a tourist bus and parking on St Patrick’s Quay, the view the visitor sees is a rusted sign saying welcome to Cork – the rest of the plaque is unreadable.
Cllr McCarthy said, “Firstly, we need to push harder now to bring in tourists for our festivals. Secondly, in light of the accolade, I now call for the revamping of our financial relationship and value for money from Cork Marketing Partnership. We need to invest more in developing our tourist market.
“Thirdly, in the new local area plans for the South Parish and Blackpool, the terms cultural tourism has been used in several places. I call on the council to actually develop these cultural tourism programmes. Let’s feed such programmes through our new arts plan and our heritage plans.
“Fourthly, let’s get people to Cork. Let’s get behind the Cork-Swansea ferry. I even call for letters to all our twinning cities, calling on their citizens to visit our city. Let’s revamp the City Council’s website, even put pictures of the city on it– put this accolade in bold.
“Get our businesses, our business associations, our Cork Chamber behind it. If we don’t move on this, next year, other ambitious cities will. In the middle of the deepest recession this country has known, this city has been given an accolade, indeed a lifeline. This city now needs to stand as one, not just comment it, but move on it and harness it.”
Cllr McCarthy concluded his comments in the Council Chamber by calling on the formation of a city co-ordinating team to maximise on the Lonely Planet Guide accolade.
Keiran McCarthy organosed a clean up day on the Marina before the election. It would be nice if he tried to use his position on the Council to force the City Manager to enforce our Litter and Planning laws against those who repeatedly put illegal advertising signs and banners.
The Litter Wardens are certainly willing to do as much as they can with limited resourtces but they are not getting support from politicians,
One Councillor who was asked to do something about it, replied to the person who had emailed the Councillor ” Are you against advertising ? ” ( Copy available )
Has Councillor McCarthy seens the ugly mess on the Kinsale Roundabout which has in the region of 30 illegal advertising signs in the area ? No other European country would allow this ! Cork is one of the dirtiest cities in Europe. The old Capitol Cinema frontage has been turned into a giant ugly advertising hoarding.
Stop waffling, open youir eyes and start doing the job we are paying you for Councillor. Was the Marina clean up just an election gimmick Councillor or do you actually care about how Cork looks ?
Hello Kieran,
Many thanks for your support for our new venture the Cork Swansea Ferry. Just to let you know we are at full steam getting everything ready for our 1st sailing March 2010 & we will start selling the service on http://www.fastnetline.com in the next 2 weeks.
Pat O Neill
Hello Pat,
will you give your support to this local enterprise, Corkpolitics.ie, by continuing to post here ?
I dont have a stake in corkpolitics.ie but do think Cork people should support it.
Hi Gerry,
Thanks for your comments. The Marina clean-up was certainly no election gimmick. log on to http://www.kieranmccarthy for more community events I have been involved with over the years and since I got elected. My interests are education and heritage and have been actively involved in the promotion of Cork for over a decade and a half. However, I do take your point in terms of the Kinsale Road roundabout and the hoarding on the Capital Cinema and will follow these up and revert back to you Gerry. Cllr Kieran McCarthy
Kieran
I am indebted to you for replying and you were generous in how you replied to my comments which included the word ‘ gimmick’. Unfortuantely it seems quite diifficult to interest most local and national politicians in this issue. Some will respond by making contact with City Council about specific incidinets if memebrs of the public report it to them but this is only a sticking plaster approach when an all party( including of course independents like yourself) is required. Clearly the existing legislation or its enforcement is inadequate. I have spoken to the City’s Litter warden who does his best to resond to complaints and who has, I can personally vouch for this, literally physically removed numerous ‘ Sale signs’ which were put over the bridges on the link roads near the Mahon Shopping centre during the summer. This week this same r UK retaill chain ( I dont know if i am allowed to name names on the site.) has once again broken our planning and litter laws by placing numerous advertising signs on the link road itself leading to the SC. A TD has told me the fine will be € 150 per sign. This is a paltry sum for a company with a massive marketing budget and which has engaged in this law breaking at least 3 or four times this year alone. The company would not dare break the law this way in England.
Businesses who break the litter laws are putting the vast majority of law abiding businesses at a competitive disadvantage and it puts pressure on these law abiding businnesses to break the law themselves.
More importantly, it gives out the message that some businesses can treat irish law with contempt.
The key point about this issue is not a lack of resources, it seems to be a lack of political will to protect our environment and enforce our laws.
If sombody was defacing political posters, politicians would be very quick to invlove the Gardai.
I would ask you to raise this issue at Council meetings and continue to raise it until the matter is resolved. Our TDs need to update existing legisaltion to enure repeat offenders face punitive fines with the possibilty of jail sentences for those who do not respond to fines.
P.s both you and Labour’s TD Sean Sherlock are to be commended for personally responding to posts on this site. One mya not always agree with a poltician’s views or polciies, but one has to respect them for personal responses.
PPs.
I looked up your site and notice you live in the Douglas area.
You will be familiar with the circular rass are around the finger post roundabout in Douglas. This is a good example of an area where advertising signs which are erected on the Green are removed very promptly. Somebody or people obivousily care about this area with the result it is splendid. Why cant the Kinsale Road roundabout be like this ?
There is admittedly a growing problem with advertising trailers being parked here and further down the Rochestown Raod, there were in a 60 metre stretch no less than 4 advertising trailers with the result a lot of parking space was made unusable . I understand these advertising trailers are not covered by legislation.
Kieran Whats the story with all the advertising posters put up around Blackrock , Skehard Road etc
I thought the days when companies could just put posters anywhere they liked were Gone ?
You and Chris O Leary live in or near the area – whats happening ?
I thought the everybody cared about the environment now ?
Gerry,
I have noted the posters to the Environment Department in the last couple of weeks who said they are on top of it and have fined people. I have to take their word at the moment on that, Kieran Mc
Tell you what Kieran, the first politician in Cork who makes a statement about all these ugly posters gets my vote in the next general election. I have an aunt down near the Supervalu on the Skehard Road who has two big ugly posters near her house and she is livid about them after she doing up her house for christmas !
Happy Christmas one and all – even politicians !
Thanks Kieran,
A friend of a friend says they were told by a Councillor that Cork City Council gave permission for all those those signs for the Ice skating at the Marque and the Blackrock Observatory that are around Skehard Road Church Road etc !
Fair dues to you for responding and posting to the site, Most politicians seem happy just to send statements. So if you do run for Td, you will at least get a preference vote !
Looking forward to getting an update.
P.s Kieran I was sent on a reply from some people who did complain to the City Council and the answer that the City Council gave re the Ice skating and Blackrock Observatory posters – it will be intersting to compare mine and yours !
Keran what news – it is Dec 22 since you last commented on this issue. Surely you must have some update or have you lost interest ?
This is quite an interesting issue in how many local politicians have initially expressed an interest in it but then refrained from following it up, or in the case of one prominent local politician actually repeatedly refused to issue any comment at all.
So what is it about illeagl advertising posters out up by businnesses that makes so many polticians, both Councillors and TDs turn thier backs and refuse to insist that our planning and litter laws are enforced against businesses in the way that laws are enforced against individuals ?
And why are the Cork County Council and Cork City Council so reluctant to enforce the law ?
” have noted the posters to the Environment Department in the last couple of weeks who said they are on top of it and have fined people. I have to take their word at the moment on that, Kieran Mc ”
P.s Kieran, if they are on top of it, then it would be visible to all to see. Do you think they are on top of controlling illegal advertising posters and advertising posters and banners which have not received planning permission ?
What news Kieran ?
Keiran I list below the various committees you are a member of – taken from your website :
Planning functional Committee
Housing Functional Committee
Recreation and Amenity Functional Committee
Recreation and Amenity Strategic Planning Committee
Board of Directors, National Sculpture Factory
Board of Directors, Firkin Crane, SHandon
Chair, Cork-San Francisco sister city sub committtee
From these i would have assumed that you would be interested in the environment and that the issue of the widespread breaking of the litter laws by businneses would be a matter of concern to you. Now from your memebrship of the above committees, you clearly have the contacts and should have the motivation, if you are interested in the environment, to raise the issue of businneses treating the litter laws and our environment with contempt.
So what is the problem ? .Why the silence ?
” have noted the posters to the Environment Department in the last couple of weeks who said they are on top of it and have fined people. I have to take their word at the moment on that, Kieran Mc ”
The statement above, which you posted on Dec22, is looking a bit like the statements all the other politicians make – i.e you are saying something without saying anything at all !
So lets be blunt : Are you willing to make a public statement about the way large parts of our City are being turned into a gigantic advertising hoarding ?
If you are really interested in the environment, you will. Come back and tell us.
Hi Gerry,
Happy new year, thanks for your research! Great to see someone is looking at my website! The problem is I am still awaiting a response from the environment department. That’s where the issue is at Gerry. I’ll follow it up again this week and come back and tell you and the cork politics website. In terms of making a public statement, any ‘litter’ that distracts from our beautiful cityscape, I am against, However, I am aware as well that it is a living city and people need to advertise in an appropriate and legal way. But yep, the aesthetics around the roundabouts such as Kinsale Road Roundabout are a disgrace; even I am not a big fan of the Capital Cinema hoarding. I’m even pro the comments made by the Businesses against litter survey when Cork City was in 50th place. We definately need to improve the look of our approach roads to the city. I did raise all these issues and asked before Christmas for what the council give you first, a report! I’ll send in a question to the City Manager for the City Council meeting next Monday, Be back to you as soon as I can, well as soon as the Council can, Kieran Mc
Thanks Kieran and again fair dues to you for posting responses on the site – most politicians just seem to send in statements and nothing else.
You are right that it is a problem getting information from city hall on the issue and they seem to have a very big problem talking about the ‘ Ice skating’ and Blackrock Observatory’ signs and the reason why is fairly obvious. However patience and persistence will yield dividends whether they like it or not. I have been passed on some emails from people who have been lobbying City hall and may, if the individuals allow, print some of them here. There might a few red faces !
If you do get a question on the issue raised, you will have done a good days work and deserve credit for it. As far i as I am aware, Cllr Tim Brosnan FF is one of the few Councillors who has raised the issue of companies breaching the Litter Laws as far as advertising signs are concerned.
The entry in the City minutes for Jan, 2009 is as follows :
“AUCTIONEER SIGNS
‘That Cork City Council support Irish Business Against Litter remove all
Auctioneer erected signs in the City that breach the litter laws.’
(Proposer: Cllr. T. Brosnan 09/007)
Environment Strategic Policy Committee ”
If there are other Councillors who have raised the issue in recent years – my apologies.
The point needs to be made again and again, that the majority of businesses respect the Litter laws and these businesses, and the jobs they support, are being put in jeopardy by those who seek a competitive advantage by breaking the law. Much of our tourism business relies on reputation for having an attractive environment. These law breaking businesses are jeopardising this image.
Anyone who has taken an interest in this issue will have seen a very visible deterioration as the quantity of illegal advertising signs has exploded.
.
Whch brings us to Fine Gael and Labour. What have they done about this issue or have they any interest at all…. more to come ….
P.s I see you linked the importance of the environment for helping to generate employment in Cork at the meeting on Dec 14th, :
” Many of the activities undertaken by the City Council help to create an environment conducive to employment creation directly and indirectly. For example, the investment which the City Council has made over recent years in upgrading the public realm in the City Centre and the investment which it has made in providing for the arts would have been a factor in the city being designated recently by “Lonely Planet” as one of the top 10 cities to visit next year…… ”
Also I see you had a motion regarding the provision of flower pots, at the Dec 7th council meeting :
‘That “road” flower pots be introduced to the immediate external environs of Douglas Pool and the environs of Blackrock Pier. That this be pursued in an effort to enhance their respective dilapidated condition.’
(Proposer: Cllr. K. McCarthy 09/373)
“The report of the Director of Services stated that there is no provision in the Draft 2010 Estimates to purchase additional flower tubs for positioning at selected locations throughout the City.
Should Community/Resident Associations or groups of residents wish to purchase tubs, the Council will supply the spring and summer plants. However, the planting and maintenance of these additional tubs will be the responsibility of these voluntary groups. ”
All in all it seems appropriate that you get credit for your interest in the environment.
Hi Gerry,
news at last!
In response to my question to the City Manager at last night’s Council meeting: “That the manager would comment on the City Council’s policy on businesses and organisations breaking litter laws by erecting illegal signs on grass verges, poles etc around the city. How many businesses and organisations have been fined in 2008 & 2009? How many were fined for illegal signs in the south east ward?” (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
The City Manager replied:
“Cork City Council implements the 1997 to 2003 Litter Pollutions Acts. Section 19(1) of the 1997 states
‘Where any structure or other land, door, gate, window, tree, pole or post is in or is visible from a public place, a person who is not the owner, occupier or person in charge thereof shall not –
(a) Exhibit or cause to be exhibited thereon any article or advertisement,
(b) Carry out or cause to be carried out any defacement thereof by writing on or other marks,
Unless the person is authorised in advance to do so in writing by such owner, occupier or person in charge or by or under any enactment’.”
The number of on the spot litter fines issued under section 19(1) of the 1997 Litter Pollution Act in Cork City is as follows:
2008 in the city -46 fines
2008 in the south east ward -2 fines
2009 in the city – 133 fines,
2009 in the south east ward- 29 fines.
On further ‘probing’, Blackrock Castle received authorization under the Act from the City Council to erect their signs at Christmas time. I received an email from Corporate Affairs noting that if upset was caused amongst the local community, signs promoting the Castle and its actibities will not be erected again.
In terms of the hoarding at the Capital Cineplex, asking at the Planning functional meeting yesterday, it has received planning permission but that site is to be moved along and developed in the short term. At the same meeting, derelict sites were talked about and the need for proper and official measures (e.g. proper hoarding) to be put in place to avoid creating eyesores. I’ll throw in a motion to cement the latter measures for the next meeting; if I’m not beaten to it by other councillors reading this!
Alot of interesting material, it seems the Council is doing their job; it’s just the public don’t hear about it. Kieran Mc
Many thanks Kieran and again you have done a good service for the people of this City by pushing the issue. I know for a fact a number of prominent Councillors and TDs have been repeatedly asked to issue statements on this issue but as the ‘ silence’ from them is all too clear, they seemed to have stayed ‘ mum’.
It is also nice to see this site breaking news on an environmental issue. I understand the Lord Mayor has been requested several times to get involved and that his Deputy Lord Mayor Laura McGonigle was also asked, during the year, to get involved in this ongoing litter issue. Is she a Councillor for this area ?
Now Kieran, when the City hall quotes section 19 of the 1997 Litter Pollution Act, particularily Subsection (b) ‘ Unless the person is authorised to do so in writing by such owner, occupier or person in charge or by or under any enactment ‘ and when City Hall says ‘ Blackrock Castle received authorisation under the Act from the City Council to erect their signs at Christmas time ‘, that to any reasonable person would suggest that permission had been authorised in writing, in advance, to erect such signs on such …’ tree pole ..etc as required by the Act, wouldn’t it ?
So the obvious question is did City Hall authorise in writing, in advance, these awful signs ?
And would any responsible Local Authority authorise the erection of large advertising signs on lamp poles at busy road junctions ?
Of course the signs for Blackrock Castle were not as numerous as those for the ‘ Ice Skating’ at the Marque ‘and here the story gets even more interesting …I am not surprised that City Hall doesn’t appear to have said anything at all about these. As of recent days these were certainly up all over the Centre park Road, Monaghan Road, Church Road etc, etc , etc, The nearest of these signs to City hall is say 150 metres, so it can’t be a case that the Lord Mayor or City Manager or the Environmental manager hasn’t seen them ! These signs have been up all of Dec and nearly all of Jan – the guts of two months. I am talking about the white ‘Ice Skating at the marque ‘ signs now, not the many, many yellow AA ‘Ice Skating at the Marque ‘ signs which are also all over the place.
So two questions about these ‘marque signs ( white ones)
1. Did they apply for and get permission from City Hall as required by the ACT ?
2. If they did not get permission, why has City Hall allowed them to remain in place ? Again, I am told that requests have been made to have them removed.
I am also told part of the reason the public has little information about the City Hall doing their job in this regard, is the extraordinary difficulty some memebrs have in getting information from the City Hall.
And if the City Hall is doing their job, why were all those signs left in place for so long ?
Ok, thanks Gerry, alot of relevant queries put forward.
At the outset, I’d rather not comment on the Deputy Lord Mayor on a public forum website.
The Blackrock Castle signs were authorised by City Hall. So its seems there is a whole in the legislation regarding where you can then put authorised signs up. So yep the whole question of reponsibiity is certainly one to raise at Council level and to work on.
I’ll investigate the Marquee signs. My gut feeling is that they got authorisation as well but I could be wrong. But yep the question here is how long can you get permission to keep signs up.
It’s difficult to comment on the big wheel that is City Hall. There is alot going there and to be fair alot of good work is going on. Even though, litter in Cork is a big issue that comes up time and again by commentators on the aethetics of the City.
However, there are alot of politics to move the wheel in the Council Chamber. Exposing the problems and then seeking resolutions in a positive way is my school of thought. But definitely, there seems to be a great whole in the litter legislation re: authorising signage. These may be able to be filled in hopefully by a local bye-law or else through the complexities of central government. I’ll investigate and revert back to you. Kieran Mc
Hi Kieran and thanks for reply.
I’m told that the City Hall has confirmed that written permission was not given for the Blackrock Observatory signs – I’d like to get a copy of this from somewhere. I think if anyone is asking City Hall about this, that they would need to formally ask if the written permission had been given as required by the Litter Act – it has to be written.
I must try to follow some contacts I had on this issue myself.
Hi Kieran,
I have been reading through the City Council meetings for Jan and Feb, ( there are none up for March so far !) to see if any motions have been proposed in relation to illegal advertising signs and there don’t appear to be. I see you had a motion as regards dog fouling signs in Ballinlough so what is the story as regards the illegal advertising signs erected by businesses ?
You mentioned there was a lot of good of good work being carried on. What is this good work. Could i ask you why there are not any signs at all pointing out the penalties for erecting illegal advertising signs ? It is very hard not to get the impression that Councillors don’t not want to upset the very small minority of businesses that break the laws in this regard.
I understand you are on the Environmental Committee so presumably you are in a good position to know the views of this committee on the matter. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi Gerry,
Thanks for the comment. I’m not on the environment committee but will pop into the environment functional committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon and enquire about your recommendations.
I am told that businesses are being prosecuted for the erection of illegal postering and questioned the manager on it in early March in the Council chambers and also got the amount of fines collected for the south east ward. The erection of signs statiing that postering is illegal is not part of the way of life of the council.
From what I have seen with venturing into dog fouling and talking to the head litter warden, they are struggling to keep up with where posters and illegal litter are popping up. To be honest, I think the community also need to be empowered and email on details of posters and litters they want removed. Feel free to give me a list of annoyances. That goes for anyone else reading this blog.
I will ask questions at Tuesday’s meeting. Unfortunately the current work to rule embargo only allows me to contact city council staff at official meetings. Thanks Gerry, Kieran Mc
Hi Gerry,
Ok I put forward your idea at the Environment. meeting this afternoon The question of erecting signs to dispel others from erecting them will be reviewed. On asking there were 133 organisations fined last year for litter pollution and the Council are active in their fining of individuals. I also raised about the signage at the Kinsale Road Roundabout and was told that they are removing illegal signs and fining people. Kieran Mc
Thanks for your comment Kiearn. Unfortunately from what I can see, unless motions are put at the general meetings of the Council, they will not be picked up by the newspapers and media and will go unreported. I cant actually understand why motions can be put at the general meetings of the Council as regards chewing gum, dog pooh and littering by ordinary people, but that motions arent put there as regards littering by commercial companies ? Why is everybody so reluctant to be seen criticising the small number, but growing, of businneses who break the law ? That is a general question rather than directed at you yourself.
I also dont see why publicity isnt given when companies are fined for breaches. I also dont see why the Council gives out cautions to companies before fining them for later offences. that doesnt happen with Parking regulations. I think, from what I see that the County Council is far worse than the City Council.
Anyway, for the record, you are theo only Councillor i have seen recently who has commented publicy on the issue., so thank you for your interest.
P.s are the minutes of the different committes available to the public ?
Keiran, my apologies, I should have thanked you for putting forward idea re signs, Thank you
Gerry,
I’ll keep investigating it. To be honest, the Council needs to be more aggressive in their attack on litter in Cork City. I raised that with the environment director as well. I was given the response of a lack of staff resources and money. However, from what I see I have to say the environment directorate functions well.
But publicity and not telling the people what goes on across all Council departments is one of the Council’s biggest issues. They need a rep liasing with papers and going on radio. I have also raised this but the big wheel of local government dismissed it at the time. However, they have, I have to admit, significantly improved the situation but people like ourselves with an interest in the city should and will always demand more of them.
The minutes of the different commitees appear more or less what you see on the minutes of the general meetings.
As regards your thoughts on companies and City Council, there is a disconnected feel between companies and Council. The economic progress of the City has not been in depth been discussed since I got in. I have raised material to rattle the cage but need more knowledge myself. I have been liasing with the Cork Business Association to see where joined up thinking between the Council and businesses should be more promoted. The Chair of the City Council always puts out a positive spin – that the city is great and that there are no economic problems for the city traders etc. I have also seen concerned traders and vintners almost dismissed by certain councillors outside Council meetings. A type of political snobbery, not by all councillors though.
I see on Monday night E.80,000 is being proposed as investment into improving the gateway points into the city. I’ll go chasing the aesthetics of the Kinsale Road Roundabout. Kieran Mc