Latest news with #DannyCollins
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Cork County Council defends social housing record
Today at 08:42 Cork County Council has pushed back against figures recently released by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage that placed the local authority 21st out of 31 local authorities when it comes to delivering new-build social housing. The government target for Cork County Council between 2022 and 2024 was 1,818 new-build social houses while 1,304 were actually delivered, a shortfall of 28%. Responding to a motion on the shortfall put by Cllr Danny Collins at this week's meeting of Cork County Council, Divisional Manager Michael Lynch defended the Council's record. He said that a further 1,217 social houses are currently in the pipeline for the period 2025-2028 while 321 affordable houses have been offered across the county in 10 schemes and another 350 units are in the planning and design phase. Mr Lynch added that social housing provision is not confined to newly built accommodation and the total number of allocations to acquire second-hand properties and vacated or refurbished dwellings in County Cork during 2022-24 was 2,329. The Council official said that the Council has also worked with state agencies on projects in Carrigaline, Midleton and Carrigtwohill that will deliver more than 7,000 housing units. 'It should be noted Cork County is the highest performing local authority area outside of the Dublin Authorities and Kildare County Council in terms of housing delivery overall with over 2,000 new homes per annum being built currently,' he said. Mr Lynch said that the challenges the Council faces in meeting social and affordable housing targets include the difficulty in creating a landbank in areas of high demand, insufficient capacity in Uisce Eireann infrastructure, and road infrastructure at key locations such as the R624 to Cobh, the N25, the Bandon Relief Road, the Mallow Relief Road and the development of the M20. Speaking at the meeting, Cork County Council Chief Executive Moira Murrell said the housing figures released by the department "referred to a very narrow measurement of housing," namely social housing own-built by the Council on the Council's own land. The figures don't take into account other models of housing delivery such as the Water Rock development between Midleton and Carrigtwohill "that's providing private public housing to a very large scale." "I will say there's huge ambition across the county to deliver on housing and there's certainly huge capacity and great skill here within the local authority who have successfully been delivering and continue to deliver,' the Chief Executive said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Related topics Peter McCarthy
Irish Independent
10-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
17 beds at a Cork nursing home remain closed due to ‘HIQA paperwork', local politician claims
Seventeen beds remain closed at a Bantry nursing home because the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is 'dragging its heels,' according to a West Cork Councillor. Cllr Danny Collins put forward a motion at this week's meeting of the West Cork Municipal District calling on Cork County Council to write to HIQA to reopen the closed beds at Aperee Living Nursing Home in Seafield, Bantry. A receiver was appointed to the nursing home in July last year and it was one of five nursing homes operated by the Aperee Living group in Cork, Galway and Kilkenny put up for sale last autumn. Aperee Living was under pressure to meet regulatory standards at a number of its properties, leading to the closure of some and the HSE taking over the running of others. A HIQA report based on inspections carried out last year found the Bantry nursing home non-compliant in the areas of fire precautions, governance and management, and statement of purpose. Cllr Collins told the Irish Independent that the receiver has dealt with those issues and now it's up to HIQA to sign off on them to allow the empty beds to be opened to patients. 'So basically what happened here from day one is that HIQA has been dragging their heels to be quite honest. It's been going on for seven to eight months. The receiver did all the work that had to be done, they were finished by Christmas. And everything was passed by fire officers. And now it's just paperwork really. That's what's holding it up.' The Independent Ireland Councillor said the issue is exacerbating the shortage of nursing home beds in West Cork. 'At the moment we have 24 residents staying there, but there's 17 empty beds. A week hardly passes without either I or [West Cork TD] Michael Collins' office getting one or two people looking for beds,' he told this newspaper. Cllr Collins spoke of an elderly man who has to travel from West Cork to a nursing home in Kenmare to see his wife because there isn't a place available closer to home. 'It's a long journey for him to do, but if she was living in Bantry, he could call to her every morning or every evening.' The Bantry Councillor said he understands there is a buyer interested in buying the Seafield nursing home, but 'he's not going to buy unless everything is signed off. The ball is in HIQA's court. This could be all sorted out if they sat down around the table.' Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is converted striker Watson Sunderland's best centre-back?
We have been revealing former Sunderland defender Danny Collins' top-five Black Cats central defenders of the past 50 years. Taking top spot is Dave Watson, who played for the club between 1970 and 1975 after a £100,000 move from Rotherham United. Advertisement Watson began his career as a striker but was converted into a centre-back while at Sunderland in 1972 by manager Bob Stokoe, before winning the FA Cup in 1973. "It's difficult but one of them was part of a trophy-winning team," Collins told BBC Radio Newcastle. "Watson got converted from an attacking player to a centre-back and a year later was winning the FA Cup against a Leeds side who were right up there at the time," said Collins. "He's gone in there and learned his new position within a season and it shows how good he was that he went on to make 65 appearances for England." Advertisement Watson did not miss a Three Lions match between 1976 and 1980 and featured in all matches at Euro 1980. Here's a recap of Collins' five best centre-backs to play for Sunderland: Dave Watson Gary Bennett Steve Bould Jonny Evans Dan Ballard Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds Now it's over to you... what do you make of Collins' choices? Who is missing from the list? Let us know here
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Is converted striker Watson Sunderland's best centre-back?
We have been revealing former Sunderland defender Danny Collins' top-five Black Cats central defenders of the past 50 top spot is Dave Watson, who played for the club between 1970 and 1975 after a £100,000 move from Rotherham began his career as a striker but was converted into a centre-back while at Sunderland in 1972 by manager Bob Stokoe, before winning the FA Cup in 1973."It's difficult but one of them was part of a trophy-winning team," Collins told BBC Radio Newcastle."Watson got converted from an attacking player to a centre-back and a year later was winning the FA Cup against a Leeds side who were right up there at the time," said Collins."He's gone in there and learned his new position within a season and it shows how good he was that he went on to make 65 appearances for England."Watson did not miss a Three Lions match between 1976 and 1980 and featured in all matches at Euro a recap of Collins' five best centre-backs to play for Sunderland:Dave WatsonGary BennettSteve BouldJonny EvansDan BallardListen to the full chat on BBC SoundsNow it's over to you... what do you make of Collins' choices? Who is missing from the list?Let us know here
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Collins names Bennett as Sunderland's second best centre back
Throughout Friday, we are revealing former Sunderland defender Danny Collins' top five Black Cats central defenders of the past 50 years. In third place, Collins chose Steve Bould, who spent a season at the club from 1999-200 after 11 distinguished and trophy-laden years at Arsenal."I know he didn't play too many games and came in at 36-years-old but Sunderland were back in the Premier League and secured a good, solid seventh-placed finish. He was a classy player and maybe would have doubted himself after so long but Arsenal and was straight in with the armband."He was brilliant but only played 23 games, which is why we're looking at the other two."Taking the silver medal is Gary Bennett, who made almost 450 appearances between 1984 and 1995 for the club, placing him fifth on the club's all-time appearance list."Longevity - 443 games. Goalscoring centre back who chipped in after scoring on his debut. I didn't see too much of Benno but by all accounts he was a modern centre back in the way he stepped in on the ball. He could drive forward, was quick and ticked a lot of boxes."He's on one of the staircases [at the Stadium of Light]. I see him every time I'm at one of the games. The achievements and longevity is amazing."Listen to Collins' selections hereOr come back later on Thursday to discover who Collins considers the best centre-back to play for Sunderland.
