Callout costs questioned

Cork city’s fire brigade has been called out to dangerous structures nine times this year in the city centre, new figures have shown.

Details about where the dangerous structures were and what was wrong when fire crews arrived on scene were revealed on Monday during a Cork City Council meeting following queries from Green Party Cllr Dan Boyle.

The first callout was in February because of a dangerous sign in a carpark on Carroll’s Quay. March saw crews deal with a structural issue on Washington Street. There were also structural issues on the Lower Glanmire Road in June, Tuckey Street in July and Oliver Plunkett Street in September.

October saw four callouts, one on George’s Quay for structural issues after a storm and there was a signage issue on St Patrick's Street also after another storm.

There was a further callout to the Lower Glanmire Road in October for a structural issue, while loose slates on a building on South Main Street were another issue.

Cllr Boyle said that there’s a perception in the public that callouts are happening more frequently than the nine callouts councillors were told about.

“I’m presuming that the owners of these buildings have to bear the cost of emergency services being called out. Is the cost being brought back in every circumstance?” he asked.

Adrienne Rodgers, Director of Services, Community, Culture and Placemaking, told Cllr Boyle that she didn’t have the figures but would investigate and get back to him.

Cllr Boyle said he would “wait with interest”.