Latest news with #GobnaitMoynihan
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Cork town's roadworks ‘causing concern' among locals worried about introduction of one-way system
The confusion relates to the Chapel Hill road, running between Main Street and The Orchard The route connects to the New Road, which is currently closed until Friday, July 25 to allow Cork County Council to install traffic calming and pedestrian improvement measures on the route. Locals are concerned that the Chapel Hill road will become a one-way route after the works finish, and cause traffic chaos in the town. However, a one-way system will not be put in place on the road. Following the works, traffic will flow westward only on the New Road, from Chapel Hill. Fianna Fáil councillor for Macroom, Gobnait Moynihan, told The Corkman that confusion over the system that will be on the road is 'causing concern'. 'It has been brought to my attention that people are concerned that once works are finished that there will be restrictive movements on Chapel Hill. There won't be,' she said. 'It will be a two-way system like it always is – it is just the New Road that will be a one-way system. 'You will be able to go up and down Chapel Hill once the works are finished.' The councillor said there will be ramps along Chapel Hill to keep the speed of cars lower and make the road safer for pedestrians. 'Cars will still be able to go up to The Orchard or go down to the school or the church by using the road the same way as before,' Cllr Moynihan explained. Traffic Management is in operation as works continue on the New Road, which may result in the introduction of temporary lane restrictions and traffic control during off peak times. The works are funded by the National Transport Authority under Safe Route to School (SRTS), which is designed to encourage as many primary and post-primary students to walk, cycle and wheel to school.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Add language conditions to Cork Gaeltacht planning approvals
Cllr Gobnait Moynihan made the call at this week's meeting of Cork County Council as the councillors considered the Chief Executive's report on a proposed housing development in the West Cork village of Ballyvourney. 'This housing development is in Ballyvourney and that's in the Gaeltacht. A Gaeltacht is only there because people speak Irish on a daily basis. If the level of Irish isn't kept, then the status can be gone like that or the boundary of the Gaeltacht can be cut in half. So it's very important,' Cllr Moynihan said. 'The problem I have with it [the proposed development] is that there's no language conditions on the planning. A language condition is that you would put a certain percentage of these houses aside for people who speak Irish on a daily basis.' The Fianna Fáil Councillor said the requirement for Councils to put language conditions in place in Gaeltacht areas came into effect back in 2000: 'This is not something new, this is something that's happening all around the country and all the other Gaeltachts, except in Cork County Council.' Cllr Gearoid Murphy supported Cllr Moynihan's call: "Unfortunately, we are, as far as I'm aware, the only local authority that doesn't have specific language surrounding Gaeltacht and Irish language requirements in relation to multi-residence developments in the Gaeltacht. And I think that's something that we need to look at remedying as a matter of urgency." Cllr Michael Creed said that when the Macroom Municipal District was briefed on the proposed development in Ballyvourney, 'we got a commitment from the people that were at the meeting that they would seriously consider native Irish speakers.' Responding to Cllr Moynihan's call, Cork County Council Chief Executive Moira Murrell said that language conditions in relation to planning permission would need to be specified within the County Development Plan. 'It would require a specific percentage being assigned within the plan to a particular part of the Gaeltacht that would say that X percent of houses built in this area, public or private, would be allocated for Irish speakers,' she said. The Chief Executive said she will come back to the Council with information on how best to alter the County Development Plan so that it allows language conditions going forward.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Cork County Council is only local authority without language policy for Gaeltacht housing
Calls have been made to amend the County Development Plan to ensure Irish speakers are allocated a guaranteed percentage of new council and private houses that are built in the region's Gaeltacht areas. Cork County Council is currently the only local authority in the country which to date has not adopted such a policy in its planning conditions, despite the fact that an act was passed 25 years ago which allows councils with Gaeltacht areas to do this. The issue was raised at a meeting in County Hall by Fianna Fáil councillor Gobnait Moynihan, a fluent Irish speaker who lives in the Mhuscraí Gaeltacht. That area encompasses a number of small villages in the Mid-Cork region such as Cùil Aodha, Baile Mhuirne, Cill na Martra, Réidh na nDoirì and Béal Àtha nGhaothaidh. The other Gaeltacht area in the county is Oileàn Cléire off the West Cork coast. Ms Moynihan said the council is planning to build some houses in Baile Mhuirne and it should reserve a percentage of these for those who speak Irish on a daily basis. Ms Moynihan said the Planning and Development Act 2000 gave councils the green light to place language conditions on housing developments in Gaeltacht areas. 'All other councils with a Gaeltacht area are tackling this issue, except for Cork County Council. Take Donegal County Council, for example, where any housing development must have a minimum of 85% of the units allocated to Irish speakers,' she said. A Gaeltacht only exists because a percentage of people in the particular area speak Irish daily. The Gaeltacht status could be lost quickly if the level of daily Irish language speakers falls. "We know from the last census that there was a 2.4% drop of daily Irish speakers in the (Mhuscraí Gaeltacht) location already. For this reason the language conditions on such a housing development is paramount in preserving the Gaeltacht and for the growth of the language. At least other councils are tackling the issue, but to date Cork County Council is not,' Ms Moynihan said. Fianna Fáil councillor Gearóid Murphy said it was unfortunate that Cork County Council appeared to be the only local authority which hadn't adopted the terms of the 2000 Act, while fluent Irish speaker Fianna Fáil councillor Gillian Coughlan also voiced her support. Mid-Cork based Fine Gael councillor Michael Creed also said there has to be a commitment from the council to provide houses for Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas. Council chief executive Moira Murrell said that a review is to take place shortly of the current County Development Plan and officials will give consideration to what the councillors had asked for when this happens.
Irish Independent
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Cork area will not get scheme aimed at enticing roadside hedge cutting – ‘It is going to go nowhere'
The motion, tabled by Fianna Fáil councillor Gobnait Moynihan, was aimed at making funding available to entice landowners to trim their roadside hedges. However, it was defeated by four votes to two at Monday's meeting of Macroom Municipal District, as the majority of councillors believed it would not be effective and could cost a lot of money. Discussing the motion, Cork County Council senior executive engineer James Dwyer said a large number of landowners across the MD already maintain their hedgerows in a responsible manner without grant funding from the council. Mr Dwyer said the council was in favour of encouraging this behaviour going forward. Cllr Moynihan highlighted that funding is available to landowners in West Cork MD through the Community Hedge Cutting Scheme. The scheme provides a grant of €50 per kilometre for the cutting of roadside hedges or overhanging trees. The Fianna Fáil councillor said she would welcome a trial of this scheme in Macroom. She the scheme would not cost 'huge money' but could entice landowners to trim their hedges back. Macroom MD Cathaoirleach Michael Looney seconded the motion. The Fianna Fáil councillor said that while most people trim their hedges, some do not. 'Maybe [the grant scheme] would encourage them to think differently about it,' he said. However, Fine Gael councillor Michael Creed said the scheme would go 'absolutely nowhere'. '€50 or €60 per kilometre of road is absolutely nothing and it is going to go nowhere,' he said. 'It is my view that it is the same landowners every year that don't cut the ditches. 'Good people do, and the same people don't do, and I don't think €50 or €60 will make it work and from what I hear from West Cork is it is working, but is it a huge success? That is not what I'm hearing,' he said. Independent councillor Martin Coughlan seconded Mr Creed's response. He felt the scheme would end up subsidising the entire municipal district because people who already cut their hedges would sign up for it. Fine Gael councillor Ted Lucey said he could not see the scheme working unless there was a 'huge pot of money' available, and voted against the motion. Members were reminded that funding the proposal would come out of next year's Community Fund, which currently goes to community groups and projects. Ultimately, Cllr Moynihan's motion was defeated after a majority of Macroom MD councillors voted against it.
Irish Independent
25-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Cork town's notoriously narrow and chaotic road to close for almost a month
The New Road, between Sleaveen Road and Chapel Road, contains the entrance to St Mary's Secondary School while St Joseph's Primary School is located nearby at Chapel Hill. This means the narrow road can be cramped with traffic and pedestrians going to and from school on mornings and evenings. The road will be closed for almost a month as Cork County Council installs traffic calming and pedestrian improvement measures on the route. Following the works, traffic will flow westward only from the Chapel Hill/Orchard end of the road The works, part of the Safe Route to School (SRTS) programme, will see the New Road closed from Monday, June 30 until Friday, July 25. Some of the key measures that will be installed on the road include enhanced signage, a new footpath connecting surrounding schools and residential areas, and raised speed tables on Chapel Hill. The project will also see existing zebra and pelican crossings either relocated or raised, road drainage improvements and upgrades to public lighting. Fianna Fáil councillor Gobnait Moynihan told The Corkman that the short-term pain of the works will help alleviate the 'chaos' seen on the New Road during the school year. 'It will be an inconvenience for people when the road is closed, when works are being carried out especially accessing parking during mass time,' Cllr Moynihan said. 'But please God once works are carried out, there will be a safe passage to school for many students in the town. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'It should also ease the traffic chaos up by St Joseph's on a daily basis at pick up and drop off times, that also affects local residents living up there.' Traffic Management will be in operation for the duration of the works on the New Road, which may necessitate the introduction of temporary lane restrictions and traffic control during off peak times. The works are funded by the National Transport Authority under SRTS, which is designed to encourage as many primary and post-primary students to walk, cycle and wheel to school.
