“Some vacant buildings look appalling. Who’s going to rent or buy them in that state?” That question was posed by Councillor Pa O’Driscoll at the recent meeting of Fermoy Town Council. He’d tabled a motion calling for a survey to be undertaken on the aesthetic condition of buildings in the town centre and a report prepared for their September meeting on what steps can be taken to improve buildings deemed to be in poor condition. He had the unanimous support of members.

Towns that do well in Tidy Towns competitions are ones that look after their vacant buildings, he pointed out. Cllr. Tadhg O’Donovan seconded what he called “a very positive motion.” He suggested securing the services of a professional in the field. Having such a report would be a very good start, he said.

Cllr. Noel McCarthy pointed out that they had written previously to the owners of some ‘eyesores’ in the town. “Many have gone to great lengths to look after their buildings. Some owners of derelict buildings are in financial difficulty,” he said. That said, he felt a report would help. “Some may only need a paint job,” he commented. Cllr. John Murphy supported the idea as a positive move.

CHANGED ENVIRONMENT

Cllr. Michael Hanley struck a discordant note however, saying there was a sense of naivete underlying the discussions. Pointing out that it is a changing retail environment with the town suffering from its proximity to Cork city, he said “the crows are in no danger walking in the street with the thin footfall. It isn’t as easy as suggested.”

Cllr. Seamus Coleman agreed. He said they were often put to shame by community councils in outlying areas where the problem can often be sorted by peer pressure. “All we can do is create a nice clean place to shop, create an atmosphere,” he said. Mayor Olive Corcoran agreed, but said she had fears about the safety of a couple of derelict buildings.

Town clerk Pauline Moriarty told them she’d spoken with county architect Sean McLoughlin who’d agreed to provide the staff to carry out the survey. She hoped to have a report from them for the September meeting.