Cllr Murray To Withdraw Co Council Reports From Youghal Meetings
By Christy Parker | Photos by Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)
Deirdre Clune T.D. and Cllr. Barbara Murray M.C.C.
Youghal Town and Cork County councillor Barbara Murray says she will no longer proffer County Council reports to Youghal Town Council. The Fine Gael representative informed the March Town Council meeting following a barrage of criticism, which she said, was just the latest incident of similar invective every time she brings the County reports to the chamber. “I don’t have to do it and I won’t be subject to this condemnation and humiliation again. I’ll just submit the information direct to journalists as of now,” said an upset Cllr Murray.
The councillor had reported on a motion proposed by Midleton FF Councillor Maurice Aherne that, Cork County Council move immediately to facilitate Youghal library at its purchases premises of Collins shop rather than continue paying “exorbitant rent” for the interim premises at the Rivergate mall in the town centre.
Cllr Murray reported opposing the motion, citing that there is still indication as to when the approved capital to commence work on the Collins property will be made available. Meanwhile, she had added, the Rivergate rent of approx. €6.11 per sq ft. on the 5,700 sq ft space, compared most favourably to Midleton’s average rent of €35 per sq ft. Furthermore, membership had trebled since moving to the Rivergate.
Clr Aherne rephrased his motion to ask the council to borrow money to fund the library development, rather than pay rent. Cllr. Murray had responded that this would still take at best two years minimum to arrive and the interim move was still the best way to proceed. The Co. Manager agreed that Youghal represented good value for money and did not intend borrowing.
Having delivered this report, FF Cllr Mary Linehan Foley in particular unleashed a flood of criticism against Cllr Murray. She said rent was “dead money” and believed the move to the spacious Rivergate had pushed Youghal “to the bottom of the list” of for library funding, whereas, remaining in its 500sq ft of board at Church Street would have given it precedence. Cllr Murray countered that Youghal was still third on the list with a minimum waiting time of years
As other voices joined the rising tumult, Cllr Murray reminded the chamber that she was on the library committee and had first hand information but this did not placate her critics. Cllr Linehan Foley condemned the absence of toilets in the Rivergate, while Cllr Murray replied that the Mall toilets are accessible on request to the librarian. “How can someone justify paying rent while owning a property in the main street?,” demanded the FF councillor disparagingly, before denying the Rivergate facility enjoyed ”high visibility.”
With Cllrs Casey (IND) and Burke (Greens) limbering up for the fray also, Cllr Murray said she didn’t have to submit he reports which, she said, seemed to cause heated disputes every month. “Maybe we’d be better off without them. What good are they?!,” snapped Cllr Linehan Foley. Visibly upset, Cllr Murray then said she would no longer submit them to the council and briefly left the chamber.
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Comments
* All comments are moderated before publishing.Kay, thanks for the history. I like many of my Youghal counterparts were totally unaware of this and if it wasn’t for people like you I’m afraid both Youghal and it’s history would be lost
Absolutely a great site for Youghal. Well done .
Our son Pat in Sweden and daughter Caroline in Boston are always looking for’news’ on Youghal–now they can have it up to date complete with videos— great!!!!
Well done Kay, Perhaps what should be investigated in more detail, is whether the Council actually had the legal entitlement to sell the building to Youghal Carpets in the first place! (Usually conditions attached to such philantropy do not allow a building to be “sold on” for other uses!) With a public car park close beside, set in the heart of Youghal’s “Historic Quarter” and yet only yards from the main street, this seems like an excellent proposal. With local elections coming next year, perhaps now is the time to start lobbying those who will be looking to be elected/re-elected!
Youghal once had a beautiful Library donated to the town by the American Philantropist Carnegie. It was the old Quaker Meeting House with panelled walls and the artifacts of the town on show in glass cases. It was not alone a haven for local readers but also attracted tourists.
Some Bureaucrats decided to sell it to Youghal Carpets for a social club and now it lies empty and derelict. Since that time Youghal Library has been moving from place to place with no permanent home. Is it not about time that the Library was restored to the original status it held more than 30 years ago?
One would almost think that some other Bureaucrat has a vendetta against Youghal library having its original permanent status restored. 30 years is a long time to be waiting for a wrong to be righted. I wonder what Carnegie would think if he were alive today?