Cork TD urges participation in public consultation on historic prison as demolition looms 

A public consultation has opened on adding the old Cork prison to Cork City Council’s protected structures register, despite justice minister Jim O’Callaghan’s decision last week to rubber-stamp plans plans to demolish the building.

The demolition was greenlit to make way for a new 330-bed prison to be built there, despite councillors having voted unanimously to make it a protected building due to the heritage attached to the site.

The minister has said this heritage will be preserved under modified plans to keep the gatehouse, stone bastion features and “sections” of the old prison walls, as well as Thomas Kent’s cell, and incorporate them into the design for the new prison instead.

Public consultation is one stage in a statutory process which will take until the end of March, though the building could be demolished before then.

Both the building on Rathmore Rd and the old prison walls are proposed to be added to the council’s register, under plans which may be inspected online on the council’s website and at City Hall between 10am and 4pm until Thursday, December 17.

Submissions may be made during this period, either online or in writing to: Conservation Section, Planning and Integrated Development Directorate, Floor 1, New Civic Offices, City Hall, Anglesea St, Cork city, T12 T997.

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said: “This is really positive news.

“Cork City Council is firm in its stance that this building forms a core part of Cork’s historic architecture,” Mr Gould said.

“I believe that this process should now halt all plans on the site.”

Cork City Council said all submissions will be sent to the minister for housing, heritage and local government James Browne, as a predecessor in the role recommended the site be protected in 2012.

Mr Gould encouraged everyone to make a submission. “We can send a clear message to Government that we want this building preserved and open to the public,” he said.