Cork's controversial ‘robotrees’ spared chop after inconclusive report to city council

Councillors, including a former lord mayor who launched the €404,000 CityTrees, call for them to be scrapped following a €2,500 report which could not determine their effectiveness

The 4m high CityTrees on St Patrick's Street and Grand Parade in Cork — dubbed 'robotrees' by critics — were intended to improve air quality. Picture: Larry Cummins

Designed to clear the air but attracting non-stop flak for more than two years, Cork’s controversial ‘robotrees’ have been spared the virtual chop, for the time being at least, after a long-awaited report on their impact on air quality proved inconclusive.

The moss wall, or CityTree devices, which were installed at two city centre locations at a cost to the taxpayer of just over €404,000 as part of a post-covid ‘greening the city’ initiative in summer 2021, will be left in place and plugged in, with annual operating and running costs of almost €18,000, pending more detailed research.