Cork City Council · Ordinary Meeting of Cork City Council · 13 July 2026
A vote on a motion declaring opposition to the Office of Public Works' plans to cover the last open stretch of the Bride River in Blackpool. It calls on Minister Jack Chambers not to approve the proposed flood relief scheme and to pursue upstream storage instead.
Summary written by AI from the minutes. The motion as recorded follows.
That this Council declares it’s complete opposition to the OPW’s plans to cover over the last open stretch of the Bride River in Blackpool with concrete. These measures are supposed to be in the interests of flood prevention but according to the OPW’s own reports this is not the most effective option, it’s not the most cost-effective option and it will have a permanent negative impact on the local area. The alternative upstream storage option will control river water, is less expensive and will have significantly less impact on the health and wellbeing of the community of Blackpool. The culverting proposal is expensive and will drive major disruption in the area. It will also have limited effect for flooding caused by rainwater. The streams of water will continue to pour down every hill into Blackpool and flooding will continue to occur. This Council calls on Minister Jack Chambers to not approve the proposed Flood Relief Scheme for Blackpool. Instead, we are calling for the alternative, cheaper and more effective proposal of upstream storage.
Proposed by O. Moran; seconded by J. Maher.
The minutes record: As those voting in favour of the motion were greater than those voting against, An tArdmhéara declared the vote carried, and the motion approved.
| Party | Tá | Níl | Staon | Didn't vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Fine Gael | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Sinn Féin | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Green Party | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Labour Party | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent Ireland | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| People Before Profit-Solidarity | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Social Democrats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tá, Níl and Staon are the minutes’ for, against and abstained. “Didn’t vote” covers councillors on the council that day whom the minutes don’t list under any option, for any reason. Parties are as of the meeting day.