CORK CITY COUNCIL says that it does not have a register of what monuments it owns or where they are.
The council told councillors in a meeting on Monday night that it has no register for monuments. They said that one could be prepared.
Fianna Fáil councillor Kenneth O’Flynn had asked for an inventory of fountains, statues and other items used by council and another of all such items disposed of in the last 35 years.
In the response the city council said that no such inventory exists, but it would like to start putting one together. It described the potential register as a “substantial body of work”.
The question came as the Dunscombe Fountain remains missing from Shandon Street on the north side of the city.
It was removed in the early 20th century, according to Cork Past and Present. It was replaced by another fountain in time for the Cork 800 celebrations, which took place in 1985. This fountain was removed in 2003 before the area was remodelled under the Shandon renewal scheme.
A search for the fountain has thus far proved fruitless, despite a reward being offered.
Speaking after Monday’s meeting, O’Flynn said the lack of an inventory was “utterly unbelievable”.
“I’m shocked and saddened by the response of the acting Chief Executive tonight who informed us that he doesn’t have the money to do a stock check.
“This leads to serious questions about how the city is being managed at present. Without doubt we are not operating to standard and best practices.
“I have very little confidence left in the present administration of city council. Perhaps it is time for the Department of Environment to do a root and branch examination of the council’s assets and finances.”
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, the council said that they “want to begin a detailed, structured and comprehensive audit of all its public realm assets across the city so their heritage value can be recorded in a register.”
“This will be a substantial body of work and will involve work across the various directorates to bring the inventory to fruition.”
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