Restoration of Cork City's fireman’s rest surges past €400,000
The controversial restoration project made headlines last year when initial costs of €326,000 were announced. The spend later rose to €361,000. Picture: Chani Anderson
The cost of restoring Cork City's fireman’s rest structure has soared to €400,000 as it has emerged a Government audit report found the project is not a good use of the council’s limited resources.
The controversial restoration project made headlines last year when initial costs of €326,000 were announced. The spend later rose to €361,000. The conservation work was completed last year, yet the structure already appears to be rusting.
A yet-unpublished audit report by the Local Government Audit Service (LGAS) has raised concern about the spend on the project.
The structure, made from prefabricated cast- and wrought-iron panels was commissioned by the then Cork Corporation in 1892 and was situated on Patrick Street.
Originally assembled for Cork Fire Brigade, it was subsequently shared with the staff of the old tram company and CIE. Over time, the hut became unused, and due to the redesign of Patrick Street in 2002 was moved to Fitzgerald’s Park.
In 2012, the council commissioned a group of consultants to develop a repair strategy for the hut, which had been vandalised in its exposed location in Fitzgerald Park. As a first step the council relocated the hut to its parks maintenance compound.
A subsequent report in 2022 by the same consultants noted the hut had not been stored appropriately, resulting in further deterioration. At that point, the council decided to restore the hut and fund the project.
The works for the refurbishment and relocation element of the project commenced in late 2023.
At audit, management advised that the project was expected to cost €403,000, comprising €254,000 on conservation and restoration works, €126,000 on paving and hard landscaping works, and €23,000 on consultants’ fees.
The auditing body said it had two main concerns — “the absence of a documented preliminary value for money assessment” and “the inclusion of paving and landscaping works at rates tendered for another project, which is not compliant with the council's procurement procedures”.
“Given the above issues, management did not demonstrate best use of the council's limited resources,” the report said.
Valerie O’Sullivan, chief executive of Cork City Council, said: “The feedback from the local government auditor is noted and will inform future initiatives."
Labour councillor Peter Horgan, who sits on the council's corporate policy group to which the report was provided, asked for a breakdown as to how much of the total cost was funded directly by Cork City Council, and how much was funding from a grant provided by the government for projects to commemorate the decade of centenaries.
Mr Horgan said: “€403,000 for a glorified shed when we have projects across the city crying out for miniscule money. It’s obscene. This is a damning indictment of the previous administration of the executive that such costs were allowed carry away."
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