'Absolutely shocking': Councillors demand to know what happened to €100k Camden Fort Meagher report

Councillors have demanded to know what happened to a report costing more than €100,000 which was supposed to provide a roadmap for turning a former fortress in Cork harbour into a major tourist attraction.

'Absolutely shocking': Councillors demand to know what happened to €100k Camden Fort Meagher report

Councillors have demanded to know what happened to a report costing more than €100,000 which was supposed to provide a roadmap for turning a former fortress in Cork harbour into a major tourist attraction.

Camden Fort Meagher in Crosshaven is internationally recognised as being one of the finest remaining examples of a classical Coastal Artillery Fort in the world.

Councillors representing the Bandon/Kinsale municipal district visited the fort a year ago to see what progress was being made there and to meet with local volunteers who keep it open for visitors during the summer.

At that time they asked about a masterplan which was drawn up for the future of the fort and were told it had been finalised a few months earlier.

Today, at a meeting of the same municipal district council, its chairman Cllr Aidan Lombard asked again what had happened to the masterplan and was told by officials that they didn't know.

"It's absolutely shocking that 12 months on from that meeting in Camden we are still waiting to see the masterplan that the council has spent more than €100,000 of taxpayers money on," he said.

Cllr Lombard said he'd been told that it was stored in County Hall.

"The plan is supposed to be somewhere in the building and we can't see it, neither can the volunteers. A year ago when I asked the question it was eight months' old. This was taxpayers money," Cllr Lombard said.

"Is there something in it they don't want us to know? The volunteers are asking over and over again what is in it," he said.

Other councillors at the meeting agreed with him.

Council officials attending the municipal meeting said they weren't aware of any issues surrounding the masterplan, but didn't know where it was.

Camden Fort Meagher is regarded as the poor relation when it comes to the amount of money being thrown into developing Spike Island.

However, when volunteers first heard the council was preparing a masterplan for Camden they were delighted and sure it would lead to it becoming a major tourist attraction as well.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Irish homelessness Government criticised for missing social and affordable housing targets
National Risk Assessment for Ireland Tánaiste urges Israel ‘to show humanity’ and allow more aid into Gaza
Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited