Reply To: Look at de state of Cork, like!

Yeah Diaspora, An Taisce objected on the grounds that it would be an aesthetic eye-sore to the Port of Cork area, it would over-shadow existing warehousing on site. I have the submission here in front of me and for the life of me I don’t see exactly where their objection really is. The onsite warehousing, which is derelict, is at huge expense being retained, refurbished and redeveloped for office use. And if anyone is familiar with the Port of Cork, they will well know that if anything, Water Street would be an exceptionally welcome addition to the skyline there. It’s not a very strong argument.

I know I bash An Taisce quite often, but I suppose one must really understand the extent and nature of their activity in Cork. You really do have to be here to realise the grief they cause. I can’t understand it. So, I’m not really knocking the organisation at a national level I suppose, it’s really the Cork branch (who aren’t even from Cork bar 2 members) that are nothing more than troublemakers. Trust me on this one.

What I find remarkable is, that with a number of developments, An Taisce in Cork quite often submit not just one objection – but will submit an object per member on behalf of An Taisce Corcaigh, which truly is shameful. A number of applications receive up to 7 objections from individual members on behalf of their organisation. And if it’s not enough, the appeal to the National Trust in Dublin to lodge a further objection.

Something really must be done about this, I hope the new changes at An Taisce as you’ve mentioned, will address this issue down South. It becomes very tiring and very frustrating.

I too hope to contribute in the development of the Cork Docklands to attain a status such as that which you mentioned above. It will strengthen not only the city and the south at an internationally scale, but will strengthen the country. It inspires quite a lot of excitement among the people of Cork, developers and myself.