Uisce Éireann works in Cork left some unable to get to their cars for school runs and appointments

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

Communities in Cork city are frustrated and angry with utilities contractors digging up the roads and leaving some unable to access to their cars for important activities like school runs and hospital appointments, a Cork city councillor has said.

“We had an awful time up in Gurranabraher when Uisce Eireann were there and the contractors were digging up the road. And the reason was because people didn't receive adequate notification.

“They weren't being told when the road was being closed, when the road was going to be reopened. People had no access to their cars. Some of these people had hospital appointments, they had parents in wheelchairs,” Cllr Michelle Gould said at this week’s meeting of Cork City Council.

Uisce Éireann insists that it communicated thoroughly with communities at all stages of the recent works, issuing advance notifications of closures of roads and other concerns.

“People have no problem with the works being done. It's just the lack of notification and the fact that the contractors might give out a notification saying the works will start at say half past nine and finish at half past four. What's actually happening is they're starting there at seven o'clock and they're not finishing until half past nine or sometimes later on, midnight even sometimes. And there doesn't seem to be any communication with the residents,” the North-West Ward councillor said.

“The other thing about this is the fact that there seems to be no forward thinking in the fact that the schools are open and we're blocking the roads, we're digging up the footpaths, we're leaving no access to parents with their children. And it's just a health and safety issue at this stage.”

Cllr Gould put forward a motion calling on the city council to ensure that contractors adhere to the conditions imposed on them, including approved working hours, and take enforcement measures when the conditions are breached. She said she wants to see a “more robust system of monitoring and enforcement, and definitely more communication with the residents.”

The motion was supported by Cllr John Maher, who also criticised the quality of reinstatement works carried out by contractors after roadworks are completed. “I think it's important that we flag also our experience as councillors is that the repeat offenders are getting away with it. Our roads are destroyed. Come along to the North-East Ward and I'll show you Dublin Hill, Dublin Pike, White’s Cross.”

“They keep doing it, we keep reporting it, they keep getting the contracts so I'm not sure what's really happening when you do break the rules. It's time now as a council that we do catch the repeat offenders because not only are they’re breaching those conditions, but they’re not reinstating the roads properly and that’s across Cork,” he said.

Cllr Tony Fitzgerald said “there is an awful lot of issues with utility services across the city, regardless of where they're coming from or what they're using. I think we do have a huge challenge in here trying to fight for budgets for more money for resurfacing and there's nothing worse than looking at a trench being resurfaced in a particular area. We're doing an awful lot of work in resurfacing and repairs but with so much now coming in, the roads are just like a patched quilt.”

Cork City Lord Mayor, Cllr Fergal Dennehy, responded that for Uisce Eireann-related works the contractors are hired by the water utility and not the city council but the city council’s chief executive will write to Uisce Eireann to raise the concerns expressed by councillors.

In a response to the Irish Independent, Uisce Eireann said it "communicated and engaged extensively with local residents, elected representatives and media throughout the planning and delivery of these essential works. Advance notifications and regular updates were issued, both in advance of the commencement of works and throughout the construction phase, particularly where road closures or nighttime works were required, in areas such as Gurranabraher."

"Regular progress updates were provided to elected representatives via email, and notifications to residents in the immediate vicinity of the works through local letter drops. Customers and public representatives were also given direct contact details for the project contractor to answer any questions or help address any concerns quickly. On occasions where activity took place outside standard hours, this was due to unforeseen operational requirements."

The national water utility also said that "all road surfaces are permanently reinstated in agreement with Cork City Council once construction is complete."

This article was amended on January 20, 2026 to add Uisce Eireann's response.