Peter Horgan

Absolutely not.

So, no, they shouldn't be building houses on it.

It's an area where I feel it should not simply be built on and after I was elected to Cork City Council in June 2024 I submitted a motion that the council would begin the process of CPOing the site with government.

That process was delayed for legal reasons because there was live planning permission on the site

When the last planning permission was rejected, that motion went straight to the Council floor and passed unanimously across party.

I'm very conscious that this shouldn't be used as a political party punching bag because this is too important an issue to use for just regular politics.

Absolutely not.

Not in this case.

Yes, in other cases, yes.

But on this case, it's a site of national conscience.

It's a site of local heartache and history.

And we have not been found wanting for providing housing in the Bessborough area.

This whole area of Baysborough Road is likely to de-industrialise in the next number of years, and housing is where you will see those industries leave, you'll see housing go on those sites.

But on this particular site, it's too wrapped up in history, it's too wrapped up with emotions, and it's fraught with...

the memories of the past for it to be built on simply as apartments.

I don't think there's any contradiction.

Is there a balance that can be struck?

That motion came from the county and I spoke with the mayor of the county in the aftermath.

I talked with other members of the county in the aftermath of that and

I think there was a reluctance to do a full CPO because it was the subject of life planning permission still.