The Evening Echo Tim Ryan, Oireachtas Correspondent Implementation Group to oversee expansion of Cork City Council The proposal to merge the local authorities in Cork city and county was raised in the Upper House by Cork Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard. “We have seen two reports,” he said. “One, issued in September 2015, proposed that there should be one local authority. A counter report issued in March 2017 stated the city needs to incorporate a major part of the county itself. What we need now is clarity. We need a roadmap for the future and to have those issues aired. The consultants have had their say. The people in the universities have had their say. The politicians and the executives have had their say. Everyone bar the people has had their say on this very important issue. We need clarity from the Minister of State (John Paul Phelan) as to what he and his Department propose to do.” A local election is looming in 2019 he said. Public representatives need to know what the Minister of State proposes in respect of that local election. “They need to know whether there will be new boundaries or no change to the boundaries,” he said. “Will a boundary commission be set up just for Cork or for the entire country? This is a very complex issue that must be dealt with in a very sympathetic way. Feelings are running high in this part of the world. The Minister of State knows better than anyone how feelings can run high regarding boundaries. When there was a proposal for Waterford to expand into Kilkenny he was vocal in opposing it. He should now bring his experience to bear on what is happening in Cork. He is the Minister of State in charge and he should have the ability to drive a fair and equal partnership in order that everything that can work to some degree in tandem in Cork.” In response, the Minister of State said there were actually three reports rather than the two the Senator identified, as there was a minority report from that committee also. “As the recommendations were inconclusive, the then Minister established the Cork expert advisory group in October 2016 to examine the majority and minority reports and underlying material,” he said. “That group's report, published in June 2017, concluded that the current local government arrangements in Cork are unsustainable. Having evaluated a range of options against relevant criteria, it concluded that on balance, an expanded city council area offered the best solution, particularly in terms of the structure of local government and a strong focus on the needs and demands of the metropolitan area, including regeneration. The report also recognises the specific service needs of rural areas.” Implementing a significant extension of the boundary of Cork city will be challenging and will involve considerable further logistical work and a detailed financial and organisational analysis to identify assets and liabilities and address issues such as the necessary financial and other adjustments between the local authorities, the transfer of staff and the establishment of new structures to ensure that the challenges of implementation are addressed effectively he said. “An implementation oversight group with relevant expertise, in particular in the financial area, is to be established to oversee the process,” he said. “The changes represent the most significant population transfer associated with a local government boundary change in Ireland. This will be reflected in the consequent timescales for implementation. Arrangements for the operation of the implementation oversight group are being finalised. Its initial main task will be to submit a detailed implementation plan in the early autumn.” Barry highlights plight of Before 5 Nursery in Churchfield A case relating to the summer scheme at the Before 5 Nursery and Family Centre in Churchfield, was highlighted in the Dáil by Solidarity Deputy Mick Barry. The Before 5 Nursery and Family Centre in Churchfield is an after-school arrangement that caters for 33 families, he said. There are 28 children there on a daily basis. Many of those children would have no holidays whatsoever, were it not for the scheme. “Activities include going to the beach or the local five-a-side centre, painting in the centre and so on for four days per week for four weeks, yet that arrangement had to be collapsed this year because the resources are not in place,” he said. “After-school services are not properly funded. The changes in the Community Employment Childcare Programme came from the Department of Social Protection four years ago. The number of CE staff in the centre in Cork is down from four to one. Nothing has been put in place to replace the programme or to make arrangements for the summer holidays for children from those families from this working class community in my constituency.” Deputy Barry said he did not think that this was the only summer scheme facing that situation this summer. “There needs to be action,” he said. “The words do not match the reality. Action is not being taken. There needs to be progress on this immediately.” Senator Buttimer congratulated on his engagement The Leader of the Upper House, Cork Senator Jerry Buttimer received copious congratulations on his engagement to his partner Conchobhar Ó Laoghaire. Speaking on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Group, Senator Catherine Ardagh wished him the best happiness into the future and the best of luck with his wedding preparation. Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard congratulated Senator Buttimer on his good news and wished him the very best of luck. On behalf of Sinn Féin Senator Rose Conway-Walsh wished them both every happiness and good luck with their wedding plans. “It was a joy to hear that good news on the radio,” she said. Labour Party Senator Kevin Humphreys said it was to be hoped marriage equality will come shortly to every part of the 32 counties, where every citizen will have the right to have his or her love acknowledged. “Well done to Senator Buttimer for the work he did during the marriage equality referendum campaign in Ireland,” he said. In response, Senator Buttimer thanked all Members for their good wishes. “It was great to see unanimity in respect of a matter of good news,” he said. “I am happy that we, as a country, can allow all of us to get married.” Roll-out of broadband a complete shambles - Martin In July 2017 there are still 542,000 rural homes and businesses without high-speed broadband, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told the Dáil. “It is a complete shambles,” he said. “No one is clear about the pathway to proper access to broadband across Ireland and people are in despair and have no sense of there being any capacity on the Government's part to deliver this. This will cost jobs in SMEs across rural areas and makes existing jobs difficult to retain.” Recently, he said Deputy Michael Moynihan and he visited Kanturk and met two companies, Avonmore Electrical and North Cork Creameries and listened to how they attempt to cope in the absence of high-speed broadband. “It reflects on their incredible professionalism and commitment but it speaks very badly of the State and its capacity to roll out a basic tender,” he said. “Could the Taoiseach explain why the Government's commitment on broadband has not been delivered?” In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the procurement process is now at the detailed solutions phase and bidders have been invited to submit their detailed solutions in September. “This is the last stage of the procurement process before moving to final tenders,” he said. “In terms of phasing in or rolling out high-speed broadband, over 50% of premises are already covered and it is anticipated that 75% will be covered by 2018. It is hoped more than 90% will be covered by the end of 2020” Deputy Martin: “There is no credibility in that statement.” .