It will be recalled that a new Crematorium is to be constructed on Rocky Island which is linked to Ringaskiddy by a bridge.
The Minister for Justice yesterday announced that a former Prison on nearby Spike Island, which is not linked to land, will be upgraded and reopened to coincide with the closure of Cork Prison.
The Island officially known as Fort Westmoreland (UK) and then Fort Mitchel (IE) occupies a key location in the harbour, and if the climate was more favourable could be tourism attraction like Sydney Harbour’s Fort Denison. But alas, its proximity to Ringaskiddys industrial zone taints the island, indeed it is understood that this is why the prison is being reopened there, as residents are used to unpleasing neighbours.
In keeping with all government decisions which are based on money, a bridge will be built to the island to save the cost of marine transportation, admirable, but then why not build it on land if the island’s location isin’t needed?
Simon Coveney, MEP sums up the new
We need a new prison in Cork, but Spike is the wrong location…It’s clear that we need a new prison in the Cork region, as the existing Cork Prison is suffering from serious overcrowding. However, Spike Island is the wrong location…
We’re hoping to bring more people into the Cork area via a bigger airport and Spike Island is potentially a massive tourism attraction. Now is the time for residents to voice their opposition and lobby for a full assessment of the island’s potential. This is potentially a huge mistake that we will all regret in the future. To allow a prison be built on Spike Island because the State happens to own the land is a lazy option that we will live to regret. I don’t know of any case in any first world country where a government is proposing to build a new “Alcatraz” like prison at the heart of a harbour city. We should be building a facility like this in a non-scenic rural location with room for future expansion, (unlike an island) where it will not attract attention and spoil a potential amenity.
Simon is giving out for the sake of giving out. I’m curious why he thinks that the failings of society need to be hidden in some remote location?
Damien, Thank you for your comment, I always feel is prudent to attack the argument, not the person. In his newsletter, from which the quotation was extracted, Simon agrees that a new prison is required, and seems to think that the Island will suffice, but the crux of his argument is that that particular island could be more profitably used for tourist purposes, viz he not advocating another location merely to sweep the issue of inprisonment under the carpet as you suggest. I further add that as the island is itself out of sight for landlubbers that his adovating of an alternative inland site, which would attract planning objections, would actually raise the issue publically.