12 November 2025
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Cork County Council has approved a €526 million budget for 2026, which includes increased investment in frontline services such as roads maintenance, housing maintenance, library operations, public conveniences and estates taken in charge.
The investment, an increase on 2025, reflects the Council’s commitment to deliver the services needed to enhance urban and rural communities across the county.
The budget has a strong focus on housing, with €2.9 million proposed for day-to-day repairs, energy efficiencies, and bringing housing stock back into use.
It aims to support economic development and includes specific funding for land acquisition and the upgrading of industrial sites. €678,000 has also been allocated for burial grounds expansions as well as funding for piers, harbours, and climate action.
The Council’s decision in July to vary the Local Property Tax base rate by 15% generates an additional €1.9 million annually. This funding will be ringfenced for the Municipal Districts, representing a €7.6 million investment between 2026 and 2029 which will deliver tangible new infrastructure across communities within the four-year period. This equates to additional funding of over €900,000 for each Municipal District between 2026 and 2029.
The budget for 2026 will see no increase in the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) for commercial rates. A 3.5% rates incentive scheme will benefit all rate payers based on a rates bill amount of up to €7,000. This year, for the first time, there will be a rates waiver scheme to incentivise the occupation of long-term vacant properties in Kanturk, Mallow and Youghal, with a waiver of 75% of the levied bill in year 1, 50% in year 2 and 25% in year 3 subject to scheme eligibility criteria.
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley said, “This budget continues to have a strong emphasis on our communities and supporting the towns and villages across the county of Cork. It strikes a careful balance between growth and protecting our frontline public services. I particularly welcome the expansion of community wardens, the increased investment in housing and the efforts to encourage the use of vacant commercial properties.”
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell added, “This budget reflects Cork County Council‘s commitment to the sustainable development and enhancement of the county. It provides for the continued delivery of high-quality public services, while strategically investing in the infrastructure and initiatives that underpin economic growth and community wellbeing. It is a forward-looking budget that reflects prudent financial management and a clear vision for the County of Cork.”
The Council’s Capital Programme 2026–2028 was also presented on Monday.
The Capital Programme has been built with the intent of meeting the objectives, as adopted by Cork County Council, of the Corporate Plan 2025–2029, County Development Plan (CDP) and Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP).
The programme represents an investment in capital infrastructure of €1.42 billion over 3 years with 39% of this on housing and 32% on roads.
The Capital Programme is a rolling programme. It is revised annually as time, delivery capacity, and priorities may vary the progress of particular projects within a given period.