THE RUINATION OF KINSALE

I have been in or around Kinsale since 1954 , so would still be regarded as a “ Blow-in “, but I feel I must comment on what is being done to the town by a small group of Cork County Council officials. Their sole purpose is not what is in the best interests of the town , but sole raising funds to cover their shortfalls of recent years . This was clearly evidenced by their attitude at the Town Council meeting on 5^th Oct last , when the Town Manager announced that pay parking was to be enforced in the three car parks in the town , despite this needing a By-law change by the Council .

When all other towns and cities are reducing or removing parking fees to try to stimulate business , Kinsale is to increase theirs. You may as well lock the gates as you are leaving!!

The town of Kinsale has been hammered by the on-going drainage works (necessary) before ever the recession came , and this would be the final nail in the coffin , driving people to the multiples with ample free parking in Carrigaline and Bandon.

When this point was made at the meeting , the response was “we need the money “!!

This is not the Raison d’etre of the County Council employees, Unless they have forgotten , they are here to serve the wishes of the people of Kinsale ,as expressed by Local Councillors , not to raise funds , which they have manifestly miss – spent in the past .

On another matter closer to my heart , at a previous meeting of the town council , on 7^th Sept, It was unanimously agreed that the market should be relocated back to the Short Quay , and the issues that resulted in the market being moved should be addressed . This has been completely ignored by the Cork Co Co officials and instead they proposed moving the market to the Back Glen , which would kill the Market in a matter of weeks .The Town manager then announced that a sum of between 20,000 and 40,000 euros would be required to facilitate the move .

The Chamber of tourism / commerce has been noticeable by their silence , in standing up for the rights of their members , and the Local councillors seem dazzled by the autocracy of these Cork Co Co employees , and unable to formulate a response to reign in the ruination of Kinsale as a place to do Business , or to spend time .

It is surely time for the people themselves to stand against this treatment , and make it quite clear that they /we want a large say in what goes on in Kinsale , and how the town is to be run!!!

The Greens seem to have achieved quite alot in the new program for gov , so it looks like we are stuck with this lot for a while , or untill the rumbling in the streets gets a lot louder .

Bertie for President

The idea that Bertie Aherne should be considered for our next President fills me with disgust.

The President of Ireland should be above Politics,and hold the trust and respect of the people of this country.

Thoughts for the new government

No more than 3 TDs per county, less for the smaller counties. Salaries to be cut by 50%.

All Junior ministries to be abolished . Set up (another) comission to go through the Public service and weed out the dross, which is not to say the lower level front-line staff , but the appalling duplication at the mid and higher management level. This should be done in a 3 month time

frame .

I know this sounds like turkeys voting for Christmas , but this must be done to start to rebuild the trust of the people , not to mind the respect of the people !

There is also an argument that because of the fall in the cost of living , a similar % cut in welfare is fair.This is turkeys voting for Christmas , as I am on a State pension myself!

The Spirit of Ireland project should be re-visited and encouraged actively by the incoming

Government, with the resultant creation of thousands of jobs , and self - sufficiency , or even exporting of energy.