More graveyard plots, outdoor staff, and dog wardens needed in county Cork

Despite a record budget for next year for the county, a number of councillors have claimed more money is needed for these purposes. Even though the council has approved a €458m budget for 2024, some councillors have pointed out omissions they see in services.

Bantry-based independent councillor Danny Collins said there are many graveyards in West Cork such as Kilcrohane, Goleen and Schull which are rapidly running out of spaces and the council needs to find additional land in these locations as a matter of urgency for future burials.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern said this isn’t just a problem in rural areas as her hometown of Midleton is facing the same predicament and despite numerous warnings the council still hasn’t acquired land in the town for a new cemetery.

“We are very close to running out of spaces in Midleton and to date we haven’t identified suitable land for more,” she said. There are also villages in North Cork which are in a similar position.

Danny Collins and Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin said piers and harbours in West Cork are crumbling to such an extent they are hampering fish landings and are a health and safety threat to marine users.

Mr Collins said a budget of just €1.8m for pier and harbour upgrades in the county for next year is “way too little.” 

“There are issues (with piers) all over the place in West Cork,” Mr Collins said and claimed the pier in Bere Island is so poor that people using it are risking injury.

“We need to upgrade piers and we need to install pontoons as well,” he added.

East Cork-based Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty said piers and harbours in his region also need upgrading and he said the money allocated countywide for such projects is “just a drop in the ocean.” 

“Our coastline is one of our biggest assets and we could exploit this resource way more if we had facilities. We also need more small craft marinas. It’s something we need to get strategic about,” Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy said.

Mr Hegarty said he was also worried about a lack of investment to tackle climate change and the council will have to seek more money from central government to address it.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael councillor Jack White urged council bosses to take on more dog wardens to tackle the growing scourge of dog fouling.

He said the wardens are currently employed from 9am to 5pm and this doesn’t make sense because most people are working these days and therefore take their dogs out before or after these times.

Green councillor Alan O’Connor said he’s concerned there may not be enough funding for the number of outdoor workers the council will need to maintain all the new greenways and additional recreational/amenity projects it is developing.

Mr Hegarty said some years ago they had 68 outdoor staff employed in the East Cork region, but now it’s just 42.