Re: Re: reorganisation and destruction of irish catholic churches

@Praxiteles wrote:

St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Co. Cork.

The following item is recorded in the minutes of Cobh Town Council for its meeting of 10 May 2010 and indicates just how devastating the results of the last “restoration” of Cobh Cathedr<l have been:

. Report by Mona hallihan, Conservation officer, Cork County Council.

The Conservation officer gave a report to Cobh Town Council on ongoing remedial works at Cobh Cathedral. In response to a question from Cllr Sean O’Connor regarding the erection of netting, the Conservation Officer stated that due to sugaring of the Bath stone and its decaying the netting had to be erected as a health & safety measure. She stated that the stonework would have to be re-pointed due to damage from salt-water and all water had to be eliminated from the building both inside and outside. Cllr O’Connor in response expressed the view that the pointing works were responsible for the seepage of water into the joints and buttresses. Ms Hallihan stated that the stonework had been rectified but that it along with the lead flashings, pipes etc needed ongoing maintenance and a plan for such was being drawn up. She added that the Bath stone was difficult to maintain such was its composition.

Do you think that a section might be added to the Buildings Act -currently under discussion elsewhere on the thread- allowing for the certification or registration of Conservation Officers employed by the local authorities? As with architects, is the general public not entitles to some form of protection from operatives or at least perhaps come public body can guarantee that conservation officers are qualified to do what they are paid by public bodies to do. As it stands, in some LAAs, it suffices to have a qualification in petit-point crochet to act as conservation officer.