Cobh and Harbour Chamber

Politician(s) lobbied: Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Moira Murrell (Chief Executive Officer), Cork County Council; Anthony Barry (Councillor), Cork County Council; Sinéad Sheppard (Councillor), Cork County Council

Intent: Funding allocated to activate key projects within the strategy.Increased year-round tourism and reduced seasonality.Stronger harbour-wide destination branding.Growth in visitor numbers, length of stay and local spend.New and sustainable tourism and hospitality employment.Improved connectivity for visitors and commuters.

Methods: Event / Reception

Politician(s) lobbied: Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Moira Murrell (Chief Executive Officer), Cork County Council; Anthony Barry (Councillor), Cork County Council; Sinéad Sheppard (Councillor), Cork County Council

Intent: Provision of public access to Cork Harbour for residents and visitorsCompletion of a feasibility study and site selectionDevelopment of marine leisure and maritime tourism enterprisesIncreased visitor numbers and local spendingImproved quality of life and community engagement with the harbourCreation of a foundation for a future public marina

Methods: Event / Reception

Politician(s) lobbied: Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Moira Murrell (Chief Executive Officer), Cork County Council; Anthony Barry (Councillor), Cork County Council; Sinéad Sheppard (Councillor), Cork County Council

Intent: Secured national funding for Phase 1 of the projectCommencement of construction worksIncreased footfall and dwell time in CobhAttraction of private investment in retail and hospitalityJob creation and enhanced business confidenceImproved visitor experience for cruise and rail arrivals

Methods: Event / Reception

Politician(s) lobbied: Noel McCarthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Liam Quaide (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Advocating for increased or guaranteed funding for Cobh Hospital to strengthen local healthcare capacity and services.

Methods: Event / Reception

Politician(s) lobbied: Patrick O'Donovan (Minister of State), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Intent: Seeking improved broadband communication and delivery for Cobh, including clear updates on rollout timelines and service improvements

Methods: LetterMeeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Patrick O’Donovan (Minister), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Noel McCarthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Sinéad Sheppard (Councillor), Cork County Council; Dominic Finn (Councillor), Cork County Council; Anthony Barry (Councillor), Cork County Council

Intent: Securing improved or committed funding for Cobh Hospital to support local healthcare capacity and services.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Patrick O'Donovan (Minister of State), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Noel McCarthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Sinéad Sheppard (Councillor), Cork County Council; Dominic Finn (Councillor), Cork County Council; Anthony Barry (Councillor), Cork County Council

Intent: Advocating for progress and funding for improvements to the R624 road, including safety upgrades and infrastructure to accommodate current and projected traffic volumes.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Patrick O'Donovan (Minister of State), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Noel McCarthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Sinéad Sheppard (Councillor), Cork County Council; Dominic Finn (Councillor), Cork County Council

Intent: Seeking improved funding structures or supports for Chambers of Commerce to enable the delivery of business-support services and local economic development initiatives.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Noel McCarthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: To seek political support and Government funding commitment for the upgrade of the R624 road, ensuring it is prioritised in the National Development Plan / capital investment programme.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Noel McCarthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: To secure a visit from the Minister for Health to visit Cobh in the near term, providing an opportunity to directly observe local healthcare and infrastructure needs. To advocate for improved healthcare facilities and services in Cobh, aligned with population growth and accessibility concerns. ::To increase awareness within government of Cobh’s strategic role in regional development, tourism, and public health planning. To prompt the allocation of funding and a timeline for the essential upgrade of the R624, ensuring safer, more reliable access to Cobh for residents, emergency services, and visitors.

Methods: Event / Reception