Doubts over Camden Fort opening for summer spark land deal stand-off

Councillors refused to approve transfer of land to company that controls fort because they said they had not received details from the company on summer opening plans

Fort Camden: Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley said it was 'very frustrating' for councillors not to be informed about what was happening at the popular amenity. 'We still don’t know will it be open for tourists in the summer,' she added. Picture: Denis Scannell

Concern a historic Cork harbour fort may not open to tourists this summer has resulted in councillors refusing to transfer public land to the development company which runs the amenity.

The company which controls Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, was set up by Cork County Council, but acts independently of the local authority.

Councillors say they have experienced difficulties in the past with not getting information about the company’s intentions, something which has angered them as the amenity gets taxpayer-funded grants.

Frustration boiled over at a meeting of the Carrigaline Municipal District Council when councillors representing that area — which controls Crosshaven — were asked to approve the transfer of slightly less than 14 hectares of land around the fort land to the company for future development.

Councillors previously approved the move in principle, but when presented with an amendment, refused to approve it because they said they had not received details from the company on summer opening plans for the fort.

'Very frustrating'

Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley said it was “very frustrating” for councillors not to be informed about what was happening at the popular amenity. “We still don’t know will it be open for tourists in the summer,” she added.

“As elected members, we are being left completely in the dark. We don’t know anything about a key facility in our area,” Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath said.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Paul Murtagh claimed contact with the company was “abysmal” and councillors were “getting it in the neck thick” from constituents and local volunteers who have put in huge time in recent years to help maintain the amenity.

“The company is [effectively] run by the council and taxpayers’ money is going into it. Councillors should know what’s going on. We must be able to go to the company directors and be able to ask questions and get answers,” Independent councillor Marcia D’Alton said.

Fine Gael councillor Jack White said he would vote on the transfer of the land because of the lack of communication.

“We’re knocking on the door of another tourist season and there is no guarantee [of it opening]. All we can do is voice our concerns and ask for more engagement. We have very little leverage and unfortunately the only thing we can do now is to show our teeth [by refusing to rubberstamp the land transfer)],” Mr White said.

The council’s senior executive officer for the area, Nicola Radley, said she would “counter against the use of the word leverage”, maintaining the land transfer was “a standalone issue”. However, this advice did not alter the councillors’ views.

Officials said they were trying to arrange an “in-committee” meeting between councillors and the company directors in the coming weeks.