Cork city's controversial 'robot trees' targeted by protestors

The five CityTree devices have cost taxpayers some €350,000. Annual maintenance costs are expected to reach an estimated €2,000.

Cork City Council’s director of operations, David Joyce, said the littering and postering will be dealt with as part of the regular round of routine maintenance of public infrastructure.

They’ve been pelted with greasy fast-food and plastered with posters highlighting how many school meals could have been bought by the money spent on them.

But these ‘attacks’ on some of Cork’s controversial new CityTree devices which were unveiled just last week have had no effect whatsoever on their operation, city officials have insisted.