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Just One Councillor Responds to Questions About the Hills

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Attachment C photograph of excavation of motte

On September 6th, all Councillors in the Tipperary, Cashel and Cahir Municipal District were sent an email asking them to respond to a series of questions about the work that was done recently on Cup and Saucer, a Norman Motte in Tipperary Hills. Councillors were asked to respond by 21 September (a little over two weeks). However, only one Councillor has answered the questions at the time of writing (25 September).

 

Councillor Tony Black is the only Councillor to answer the questions.  It is understood that one local Councillor has been ill and unable to respond yet. Although some Councillors were in touch with the writer, no other Councillor answered the question. Reports from a workshop that was held last week between Council officials and Councillors (not attended by Councillor Black due to work commitments) suggest that Councillors "cannot see the problem" with what has been done to the Norman Motte in the hills. Apparently, the issue was seen as "just a FaceBook thing". In a recent poll, 72% of respondents (536 people) said they wanted the stairs removed.

 

They key response from Councillor Black is that he agees "that the route of the stairs that was constructed is not in accordance with the approved drawings, that the stairs as constructed, are not in accordance with the Part 8 planning approval".  Councillor Black's answers to the questions are shown below.

 Couoncillor Tony Black

1.    Do you accept that the stairs was not constructed above ground, is not a “floating stairs” and that excavation of the Norman motte was carried out?
Councillor Black: It certainly appears that a fair degree of excavation was carried out on the Cup and Saucer even if the displaced soil was left on site.

2.    Do you accept that excavation of the Norman motte was carried out in order to install the pathway at the top?
 
Councillor Black: Yes. And to provide the stairs.

3.    Do you support that the excavated material should now be examined by qualified archaeologists to determine if any archaeologically significant items have been excavated?
 
Councillor Black: I agree that proper archaeological examination should be carried out but from my understanding there was an archaeologist on site during the works.
 
4.    Do you support the stairs being removed to facilitate this examination?
 
Councillor Black: If it is the wish of the majority of people, and I have seen the poll results, I would certainly consider a proposal to remove the stairs. 
 
5.    Do you accept that the works are not in accordance with planning, as set out in the Chief Executive’s Report?
 
Councillor Black: What was outlined at the start of the CE's report (page 3) was carried out. However, there are discrepancies between what work was carried out and what was said in some of the responses to the public submissions especially with regards to safeguarding and minimal disturbances from what I've seen. There is also discrepancies between the plans and the finished article.
 
 6.    Do you agree to seek documents from the Council regarding archaeological monitoring and/or ministerial licencing regarding the works and provide those to the writer?
 
Councillor Black: I do. Whatever is requested by the writer.

7.    Do you support the remediation of the site to as close as possible to the state in which it has existed for several hundred years?
 
Councillor Black: Again, if it is the wish of interested parties and the majority of townspeople I would certainly be open to the idea and having a proper discussion around it.

8.    Please look at the route of the proposed stairs in the drawings that were approved by the Council in Attachment B, drawing 2.3. Do you agree that the route of the stairs shown in the Attachment C photograph is significantly different to what is shown in the drawing that was approved by the Council when planning was granted?
 
Councillor Black: There certainly appears to be a difference between the angle of the stairs in the proposal and the finished article.

9.    If you agree that the route if the stairs that was constructed is not in accordance with the approved drawings, that the stairs as constructed, are not in accordance with the Part 8 planning approval?
 
Councillor Black: Yes
 
10.    If you agree that the stairs are not in accordance with the approval, do you agree that the stairs should be removed and that the area should be remediated as close as possible to its previous condition (subject to archaeological advice and supervision)?
 
Councillor Black: Yes, in my personal opinion. Again, I'd like to open a discussion on it with involved stakeholders.

 

 

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