Sky Garden saga takes yet another twist

CELEBRITY gardener Diarmuid Gavin has claimed that Cork City Council asked his firm to withhold documents after a Freedom of Information (FOI) request about his €2.3 million taxpayer-funded Irish Sky Garden.

He also said that he and his design team want to address the city’s 31 councillors in public to present their side of the story about the project.

It is the latest twist in the long-running saga over the Avatar-inspired garden, which has been mired in controversy since it won gold at the Chelsea Flower Show last May. It is now in storage in Cork city.

The details emerged yesterday after Mr Gavin’s firm, Diarmuid Gavin Designs, wrote to councillors requesting the meeting.

Mr Gavin declined to comment last night — a spokesperson said he and his firm want to deal directly with councillors.

But the Irish Examiner has seen the firm’s letter which states: “Worryingly we were recently asked by the legal department in Cork City Council to agree with them not to release documentation under the Freedom of Information Act.

“They informed our solicitor that this request was being made to protect our company.

“Our solicitor asked to see what shouldn’t be released and was assured it would be provided within days.

“We were subsequently informed that it wouldn’t be provided.”

The letter also makes a series of sensational claims, including:

n city officials “ignored” repeated requests from the firm to address councillors;

n the firm has had “great difficulties in achieving clarity” from the council in connection with their work on the garden;

n despite exhaustive efforts requesting a contract from the council, the firm still does not have one;

n and despite its concerns, it was put under “substantial pressure” to design a park on a flood plain.

Mr Gavin’s firm has now submitted its own FOI request to the council.

City manager Tim Lucey declined to comment on the letter.

But he said he has “exhaustively and extensively” reviewed all the files relating to the Sky Garden.

“I have also spoken at length with all the officials involved, and having done so, I am more than satisfied that every statutory accounting and legal responsibility was fully and appropriately observed and delivered,” he said.

Sinn Féin Cllr Chris O’Leary called on Mr Lucey to make a full statement on the matter to retain the confidence of councillors.

But Mr Lucey said he will release the garden file soon, as was previously indicated to party whips, including Mr O’Leary.

After months of controversy about the Sky Garden, City Hall unveiled plans last month to install it in the city’s Fitzgerald’s Park as part of a €1.8m refurbishment.