TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

of course, prices of organic products are quite high. So it’s a solution only for some.
MK: You paint quite a depressing picture of Cork’s future. But people say: “Cork is thriving! The
economy is strong, we have great quality of life, Cork is a well known brand in the world.”
SOS: That’s true. We do have many successful stories to tell. One of them is setting up a joint
research centre in 2014 on tidal energy technologies between UCC and CIT that was essential to
the success of Ireland’s first tidal energy plant built on the shores of Castletownbere in 2018.
Another was back in 2009 with the collaboration between Cork City and Cork County on the
strategic spatial plan that envisioned the development of Metropolitan Cork around the socalled
Outer Harbour and the Airport Ring. This strategic plan was essential to cope with the
developmental pressures of late 2010s, when Cork’s economy started to grow rapidly again.
Owing to this visionary plan, the urban sprawl has never become as severe as exists in the
Eastern Corridor. Development of the “retirees villages” in West County Cork was another smart
idea of local businesses. As I said before, Cork has been really good at seizing the opportunities.
Do you know that at present 30% of the County’s and 28% of the Metropolitan’s regional revenue
is generated by the retirees villages and the services associated with them? And, the fact that
many celebrities have their second homes there adds to Cork’s tourist attractions.
MK: This is fascinating! I understand the ‘bi-‘and the ‘opportunism’ now, but I am still intrigued
by the ‘water’?
SOS: Water is an essential part of Cork’s brand. It stands for the quality of life achieved using
the waterfront of the city. It’s the theme of the whole Metropolitan region – Atlantic Ocean,
River Lee, the Harbour, the Docklands – water connects it all! It’s also an important commodity.
Clean, good quality of water is a key for the many spas located in the region, and the
biotechnology industries. My predecessor and myself treated the management of water
resources as our priority. Between 2014 and 2024 we renovated the whole sewage and water
supply network in the city. We also made provisions for setting up a network of private
community based biological sewage treatment plants to enable greater circulation of water. I
believe that we are the only region in the country that hasn’t experienced water shortages over
the last 15 years. However, water already is, and will be even more so in the future, the critical
resource, so we need to ensure that Cork can be associated with the “rivering waters”,
“hitherandthithering waters” for generations to come.
MK: Sean, thank you very much for this so interesting conversation. And on behalf of CORCAIGH
CEARTLÍNE, I wish you the best of luck in your new position of the Director of the National
Gaelic Sports Centre 9 , which you have helped bring to Cork.
9 The National Gaelic Sports Centre was established in Cork in October 2029 with the aim to support GAA efforts in
sustaining interest in the Gaelic sports and to promote the games amongst the immigrant communities.
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