Concerns raised over ‘patriarchal’ approach to memorial for abuse victims in Waterford
The matter was discussed at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council
Concerns have been raised over the local authority’s approach to creating a memorial for victims of abuse in Waterford.
Waterford City and County Council recently announced plans to create a memorial sculpture for victims of abuse to be located on the Mall in the city centre.
However, a number of councillors have raised concerns over a lack of consultation with victims of abuse and public representatives.
Social Democrats councillor Mary Roche spoke on the subject at the council’s September plenary meeting.
Cllr Roche said: “The victims of abuse memorial that I saw coming out of a press release - I’m just not sure where that has emanated from.
“I certainly didn’t know about it as a councillor and from what I see on social media, neither did many victims of sexual abuse.
“I think it’s a little bit patriarchal, if I may say, for us to kind of initiate something from on high as if that’s going to tick a box.
“I think it needs to be a much more literate process and I would ask that somebody would take that on board and maybe have a look at this.”
In response, Chief Executive Sean McKeown said that the artist chosen to create the sculpture will consult with victims of abuse.
Mr McKeown said: “Just in relation to the memorial for victims of abuse, that Expression of Interest that we will issue will contain a requirement that the successful artist that is contracted to do that work will engage with survivors before the design and installation of the artwork is concluded.
“I think it’s fitting that it would be included in our memorial garden. There’s several other memorials to various legacy issues that we as a State and we as local authorities and so on have to deal with.”
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin councillor John Hearne raised concerns over the nature and location of the memorial.
Cllr Hearne said: “The €50,000 we’re putting towards a memorial for victims of abuse. I was just thinking about the memorial.
“I thought it should be left open for more of an interpretive type of memorial.
“I think it’s an awful lot of money to spend on something that’s static and left in place and could be vandalised or whatever.”
He suggested that a memorial forest could have been created instead.
“I think it would have been, in my opinion, more appropriate if we did something like a small forest.
“If we planted trees around that people could go and there would be some benefit to it in the long term, with climate change and everything else.
“People could go in the future and plant more trees. I think it would be a very appropriate way to look after that issue.”
In response to Cllr Hearne, Director of Services Ivan Grimes said that there are a number of other similar memorials in the area and there have been no issues with vandalism.
Mr Grimes said: “In relation to the memorial proposed, an Expression of Interest will be issued shortly.
“The intended location - there are already a number of memorials there and there hasn’t been any history of any damage or violence so we would be confident enough.
“It’s a prominent enough public space and in any event, the proposed figure of €50,000 may not be used fully.
“We will be engaging with artist schools to see what might be appropriate so that will be issuing in the next couple of weeks. We’ll see what comes back.”
He concluded by saying that an assessment panel will be established to examine the proposals that come in.