Local elections 2024: Roads, housing and increased amenities among key issues in Cobh MD

IN a district which encomes areas such as Cobh, Carrigtwohill, Little Island, Whitechurch, and Carrignavar, current elected have set their sights on an increased provision of amenities for young people, road improvements, and additional housing as among their key priorities if re-elected.

Two councillors in the area, Independent Sean O’Connor — who was first elected to Cobh Town Council in 1984 and became a county councillor when the town councils were abolished — and Green Party councillor Alan O’Connor — first elected to council in 2019 — have decided to bow out when June’s local elections roll round.

The four sitting councillors contesting the next local election are Sinéad Sheppard, Anthony Barry, Sheila O’Callaghan, and Cathal Rasmussen.

Of those, Fine Gael councillor Sinéad Sheppard boasts the longest term on council, having served 15 years. And she’s keen to keep going.

“I love my job, I love what I do. I know some people sometimes say, ‘oh God, why do you do what you do?’ but it is like any job, you have some days where you absolutely love it and then there’s just bad days at work but over the last 15 years, I’ve grown up in politics really,” Ms Sheppard said.

“I entered it in my early 20s and I’m 40 now … and I love what I do,” she told The Echo.

“My main priorities have always stayed the same. The reason I do the job I do is for my community and for the people where I live.

“I personally have always felt that politics, if you can change one thing for the better for even one person then that’s the reason that you’re in the job. That has never changed for me.”

Ms Sheppard recently commenced canvassing in a bid to retain her seat.

Starting in Carrignavar, the most common issue raised at the doors was the need for an upgraded wastewater treatment plant, she said.

As she continues her canvassing trail, Ms Sheppard said she anticipates that calls for road improvements, additional housing, and amenities for young people will be the key issues for constituents.

Asked about speculation that she will contest the next general election, Ms Sheppard said while she hasn’t ruled it out, her sights are — for now — solely fixed on retaining her seat on council.

“I haven’t ruled it out [running in the next general election].

“At the minute, I have tunnel vision on the local elections because obviously that’s my main priority, getting elected to serve the people who I’ve had the privilege to serve over the last 15 years and then I suppose once I get over that hurdle, I’ll definitely be considering the general election, but for now it’s just the locals that I’m focussing on because there’ll be conventions and everything so I don’t know what will happen in regard to that.”

Social infrastructure

Also eager to keep his seat is Ms Sheppard’s party colleague, Anthony Barry, who has now served two on council.

“I enjoy helping people out and I think I’ve made a difference to a lot of people,” Mr Barry said.

Asked about his priorities if re-elected, Mr Barry said they are “very similar” to when he started out in politics.

“The bigger picture, the macro items, are you’re trying to develop sustainable communities in our area, right from Whitechurch all the ways into Cobh.

“All of those communities have different challenges and different focuses, but I suppose the one underlying factor is that local government has a huge impact with communities and with people and how they live their daily lives.

“The main driver is always ing communities in making them more sustainable and more aware in how they can help themselves,” he said.

“The other part of it then, on the micro level, you’re working with people with grants, with housing issues, planning issues, all that basic stuff which you do as a councillor, but I think the big issue is definitely trying to make the communities in our area more sustainable and better places to live in going forward.”

Mr Barry said he feels ionately that “social infrastructure” must keep pace with physical infrastructure as the population of the ward increases.

“You look at places like Carrigtwohill where you don’t have a library, you don’t have an arts centre, but yet Carrigtwohill has a population akin to Clonakilty or Bandon so you’re really looking at a social infrastructure deficit and I think that’s something that definitely needs to be addressed,” he said.

Amenities for young people

Additional amenities, particularly for young people, is something Fianna Fáil candidate Sheila O’Callaghan would also like to see progress on.

Ms O’Callaghan was co-opted to Cork County Council in February 2020 as a result of Pádraig O’Sullivan being elected to Dáil Éireann.

“I feel, I suppose it’s the old cliché, ‘a lot done and more to do’,” she said when asked about why she is seeking re-election.

“I do feel that I have achieved a lot in the four years.

“I’m amazed at what Cork County Council is all about because, prior to that, I just thought it was all about potholes, lights, roads — that sort of thing — whereas now I realise there’s the arts, there’s the culture, there’s a whole lot more going on there … I just really want to be able to continue the work that I really have only started.”

In particular, Ms O’Callaghan said she would like to see a multi-use games area established in Watergrasshill.

“The one thing that I’m kind of saddened that I did not achieve was in Watergrasshill; it’s a really expanding area and it’s in the area that I live in. And in of facilities —OK there’s the GAA, there’s ladies’ football, there’s all of that — but I would have loved to have achieved a multi-use games area.

“I would love to have had one of those erected by now in Watergrasshill,” she said.

“I suppose the other thing that’s a huge issue in the rural village of Carrignavar is that the wastewater treatment plant would be upgraded or that there would be extra capacity because it has really stifled the village of Carrignavar. They’re my two biggest things that I would love to achieve.”

'R624 needs to stay on agenda'

Meanwhile Labour Party councillor Cathal Rasmussen, elected in the previous two local elections, would love to secure a hat-trick.

“This is my 10th year now. I won two elections after being co-opted for six months,” Mr Mr Rasmussen said.

“I’ve been a community activist all my life. I feel I’ve a lot to offer.

“I like working with people and for people and I feel I’ve an awful lot to offer yet and I’ve an awful lot of things that I want to see get done and I want to continue to be a strong voice for all the people I represent.”

He cited improved road infrastructure and the provision of additional housing as key issues he would like to see more progress on.

“The R624 and the road network in and out of Cobh has to be at the top of everybody’s agenda.

“Progress is very slow on that, but we are making progress, but it needs to stay on the agenda.

“We’re building a lot of houses in Cobh, but our road network is a disgrace and we have to get that sorted.

“Working with people and trying to get more homes is another huge issue. We have a huge waiting list.

“Working with the business houses in Cobh as well to deal with the parking in Cobh and try and resolve that and to make sure that businesses stay open as well … and I suppose just dealing with the issues that people have every day of the week like potholes and general stuff like that,” he said.

“The main issues as councillors that we all have is housing and conditions of our roads and footpaths — they’re the main issues that we all have — and we have to improve them.”