Keep it simple. Decide. Deliver.”

O’Sullivan, CEO Cork City Council at Thought Leaders Council

These are the three guiding principles that have been adopted by Cork City Council’s new chief executive Valerie O’Sullivan as she charts a course for the development of the city over the coming years.

Cork Chamber welcomed Ms O’Sullivan and some of her senior leadership team to the Thought Leaders Council at the Hayfield Manor Hotel, where representatives of almost 60 of the Chamber’s partner companies and board convened for a policy-focused and agendasetting event.

It comes early in Ms O’Sullivan’s tenure as council chief executive having taken the position late last year and at a time when Cork City is looking toward an exciting period of development.

Attendees heard how the new council chief set about establishing her new team early, not wasting any time in setting out her priorities.

“I don’t believe the first 100 days,” she said, referencing a traditional settling in period in a new role, adding that she established her new leadership team, including a specific director for the city centre, within her first week.

The message attendees heard was one of cooperation between public and private sector.

“I’m always struck by the fact that any perceived chasm between the private and public sector in Cork does not, in fact, exist,” Ms O’Sullivan said.

“And that is because we all want the same thing. We are all working to improve Cork City.”

She explained that the council is focused on its job of creating and developing a city that attracts investments, is a home to residents, businesses and students, and welcomes visitors.

Ms O’Sullivan was keen to engage with members about the city’s future and their priorities, taking part in a lively question and answer session on topics like transport, urban evolution, and housing, and she also explained how important it was to remember the work and achievements that have been done to date.

These include the ongoing public realm works at Bishop Lucey Park and Morrison’s Island, both of which are nearing completion, and the new Marina walkway, which has proven a real hit with walkers and cyclists since it officially opened in recent weeks.

“Now is the time, this is the window. All the conditions exist for us to push that open.”

The event took place as the council officially commenced a consultation process on the new Northern Distributor MultiModal Route, a 14km stretch from the Carrigrohane Road to Glanmire, which Ms O’Sullivan described as a “critical enabler” to improve the quality of life for those living and working in the city, and to opening up opportunities for further investments in the business and residential amenities on the northside.

The council chief spoke about the importance of cooperation between public and private sector as, ultimately, the end goals are the same.

“So what do we all want to achieve for Cork City? It’s difficult to condense that into one sentence, but I think eventually it is to ensure that the city is a location of choice for a people; to give people reasons to want to work here, invest here, live here, study here, and spend time here,” Ms O’Sullivan said.

Among the most eye-catching aspects of the discussion was an in-depth map showing the scale of the Cork City Docklands developments. The 360-acre site is the largest regeneration project in the state and one of the largest in Europe and construction is underway on 639 homes already, with a further 1,000 in the pipeline.

“Now is the time, this is the window. All the conditions exist for us to push that open,” she said, urging business leaders to work together with the local authority to capitalise on Cork’s potential, and presenting the Cork City case such that it will attract the necessary funding to match the ambition.

As Ireland’s second city, and the key counterbalance to the Greater Dublin Area, she says Government investment now will pay for itself may times over in the years ahead.