As we look ahead to a new year, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the progress and partnerships that have made Cork a more vibrant and welcoming place to live, work, and visit. Cork Business Association’s Safe & Clean Committee (SCC) has been at the heart of this effort throughout 2025, and we’re excited to share a snapshot of a year dedicated to action.
Our mission is simple: to foster a city centre environment that is secure, clean, and thriving. This year, we were driven by three key pillars: Partnership, Projects, and Persistence.
1. From The Inside Out: Advocating for a Safer City.
A safe city is a collaborative one. In 2025, we made it a priority to strengthen our ties with the key organisations that help keep Cork secure.
Starting right on the ground, we held crucial meetings with local Gardaí, including Superintendent John Deasy and Chief Superintendent Thomas Myers, strengthening lines of communication. Building this rapport allows CBA to communicate concerns directly with An Garda Síochána, creating a stronger support network for businesses.
We brought your voices to decision-makers. The Safe and Clean Committee met with Cork City Council numerous times this year, ensuring your interests were heard and practical solutions came to fruition.
SCC continued to push upwards, having meetings with Minister for Defence Jim O’Callaghan, EU Commissioner Michael McGrath (Previous Minister of Finance), Colm Burke TD, and Jerry Buttimer TD. We ensured the Cork Business Community was heard at every level.
2. Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk: Driving Tangible Projects
A major focus for the committee this year was the targeted enhancement of North Main Street. We believe in rolling up our sleeves and getting things done, and this area saw a remarkable series of improvements.
It all started with preparation and planning. We connected with numerous stakeholders to create a solid plan of action. We built a team of organisations that truly care about Cork City and wanted to help. Then, Cleaning and Greening Days were born!
Our first Cleaning and Greening day took place in April on North Main Street. On the day, we were overwhelmed with the response. Over 70 people showed up to help clean the streets. Businesses on the streets showed their gratitude by opening doors and providing food and resources. The success of this day led to a second Cleaning and Greening day for Oliver Plunkett Street on June 24th. On both days, we completed a variety of tasks including:
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Sweeping & washing the street
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Scrubbing facades
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Repainting surfaces
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Graffiti removal
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New plantings
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Hand-painted murals
It was great to see the community come together and give back to the city we love. Thank you to all the individuals, companies, and groups that volunteered their time and hands to help us out! This initiative would not have been as successful as it was, if not for you. And thank you to our partners who provided resources to help complete the days:
- McKechnie Cleaning Services
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Cork City Council
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Pat McDonnell Paints
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Cork Volunteer Centre
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St Peter’s Church
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The Old Oak
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Market Lane
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Dosco
- M&P O’Sullivan
This concentrated effort shows what’s possible when a community comes together with a shared vision.
Furthermore, the autumn called for an informative event to help businesses close out the year and prepare for the next. In October, supported by Lodge Services & Neville Jewellers, the SCC hosted an early morning panel event, Safe and Clean Cork City. Our speaker roster included Superintendent James Hallahan from An Garda Síochána, Dr. Dermot Kavanagh from Simon Community, John Hayes from Cork City Council, with Deirdre O’ Shaughnessy, Irish Examiner, as our host of the morning. Our panellists informed attendees about the latest updates in all things safety in Cork City. This included informative insights such as crime statistics and trends, to resources such as new Apps and Technology. Additionally, at this event we announced the Cork City Centre Warden program – another big initiative led by the CBA and the Safe and Clean Committee.
In partnership with Cork City Council, CBA deployed a program that included four “City Ambassadors” whose job is to report cleanliness issues in the city, chat with businesses to hear concerns, and be a friendly face for visitors to ask questions. This program sparked when CBA secured government funding from the Department of Justice, and with further support from Cork City Council, there are now four city wardens present in Cork City, contributing to the safety and cleanliness of the city centre.
3. A Persistent Presence: Advocacy and Awareness
Beyond the projects, the Safe & Clean Committee maintained a constant drumbeat of activity, with advocacy and awareness at the forefront.
The SCC hosted regular meetings to stay current with our members, and broader Executive Meetings to strategise and review progress.
To ensure all voices are heard, we launched the City Quarter Group, which fosters hyper-local collaboration. Our learnings have shown that every area of the city has different wants and needs, and we want to give everyone the attention they deserve. As a group, we strongly advocated for a stronger Garda presence at key times of day in both the City Quarter area and GPO – key successes for the communities at both locations.
We sought to amplify our messaging through media engagements, including radio, print, digital, and social media. And we assure you, our voices are being heard.
Progressions such as the City Wardens, the rotating Garda Van, and the recent news of the 48 new High Visibility Gardaí in Cork City were pushed by the Safe and Clean Committee, with member needs at the top of mind. We will continue to amplify your voice and be heard.
We maintained a strong community, celebrating with members at events like the CBA Awards, the Construction Ball, and the Community Awards, reinforcing the spirit that makes Cork special.
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of the team, our volunteers, the CBA members, our partners in An Garda Síochána and Cork City Council, and the dedicated City Wardens. Persistence & commitment are the driving force behind every clean street and every safety initiative.
The work of making Cork the best it can be is never finished, but thanks to a year of strong collaboration and hard work, we’ve built incredible momentum and we have a number of exciting projects in the pipeline for 2026.
Here’s to continuing this vital work in 2026. To get involved or share your ideas, please contact the Cork Business Association.