A blueprint for the development of Cork over the next 10 years has been unveiled by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin. It commits statutory and voluntary agencies to specific action aimed at improving quality of life in the city.
The blueprint, which was drawn up by the Cork City Development Board over a two-year period, will form part of the Cork Development Plan and is one of 34 development plans throughout the State which will inform the interim review of the National Development Plan.
Titled Imagine Our Future, the Cork plan identifies specific objectives for action within the city area, suggests a time frame in which the action should be carried out and identifies the organisations which will have the leading roles in the various projects.
Widespread consultation took place over the past two years, involving statutory and voluntary organisations in Cork, including children, who had something to say about how the city could be made more citizen-friendly and more visitor-friendly.
Throughout the 107-page document emphasis is placed on the city's economic, social and cultural development over the next 10 years. Action to curb littering and promote tree-planting is called for.
The mission statement for the blueprint was: "Cork, a beautiful city by the Lee, is globally competitive and has a rich quality of life that embraces diversity of culture, provides equality of opportunity for all and represents an ethos of dynamism, excellence and high quality."
Strategy was formulated on the basis of seven themes. These were: Cork and its external role; Cork's image; the identity of the community of Cork; integrated service provision; quality of life in the city; equality within the community; and Cork as a "city of learning". The document has statutory status and will be implemented in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2001.
The report looked at Cork's strengths and weaknesses and found that its strategic strengths included: the ability to deliver first-class third-level and post-secondary education; low congestion levels compared with Dublin; diversified foreign investment; a strong arts sector and extensive land development opportunities.
On the negative side, the report found that the city's economy was too dependent on foreign direct investment and was vulnerable to the migration of economic activity to the surrounding hinterland; that public transport was poorly integrated; and that there was inadequate recognition of the importance of primary and second-level education.
The report found that environmental sustainability was not given priority in the city and suggested that there was a need for an enhanced range of recreational activities. It called for action on the integration of minority groups in the city and pinpointed another negative factor as being the existence of geographic concentrations of social disadvantage.
Among the "strategic threats" to the city were: crime and safety issues; resistance to development and social integration; the danger that national policy would focus on the midlands/west region and Dublin/Belfast links; and high land and house prices.
In highlighting some 119 objectives - from the provision of a green bus route system by the end of 2005 to the establishment of a partnership between private industry and the educational institutions by the end of this year - the report says that it will be necessary for each of the various agencies in the city to combine their activities in an integrated manner if the aspirations in the plan are to become a reality. Other objectives include: an extensive pedestrianisation programme in the city; an audit of tourism deficiencies, to be completed by 2003; improved Cork/Dublin rail services by the end of next year; faster and more frequent bus services between county towns and other major urban centres; expanded terminal/air services at Cork Airport by 2005; and an action plan on littering and dog-fouling which would be fully operational by 2004.
Cork will be promoted as a major destination for international events, the report says, and increased funding for the arts will be sought. Greater emphasis will be placed on the environment and environmental initiatives will be promoted from community level through to industry, backed up by more rigorous by-laws to deal with litter and waste management.
"Objective 64" suggests ways in which Cork can become a safer city through the provision of a citywide CCTV system, closer liaison with the Garda and an analysis, to be completed by the end of this year, of security in the city-centre at night-time. As part of this initiative, the National Age Card scheme and the vintners' voluntary code of practice are to be promoted and a community mediation bureau is to be established.
Action on the provision of housing, on equal opportunity and on the drug problem is called for in the report.