Poolbeg chimneys may need protecting from ‘structural issues’

The Poolbeg chimneys may be encased in fibreglass or concrete to prevent structural issues in the future according to Dublin City Council.

In reply to a question from Green Party councillor Claire Byrne about the chimneys being placed on the Record of Protected Structures, Dublin City Council said the purpose of the maintenance programme was to stabilise the deterioration of the chimneys since they were decommissioned.

“The ESB state that in order to prevent further deterioration of the chimneys, steel caps were erected in 2015 and that the ongoing cost of the maintenance programme, which includes the removal of hazardous material and the decarbonising of the inner thermal lining, will run to several million euro, and that this will secure the chimneys in the medium term,” the council said.

The council said the chimneys stability in the longer term “may give rise to the need for the structures to be encased in a new concrete or fibreglass casing”.

“These interventions are likely to alter the appearance and integrity of the structures as originally designed. ESB is concerned that adding the chimneys to the Record of Protected Structures will not provide any additional security to that provided under the maintenance programme, and may actively impede any ongoing structural interventions or necessary external cladding in the future.”

The ESB spokesperson said that if fibreglass is used to protect the chimneys it would likely involve encasing sections of the chimneys in the material, rather than the entire structures.

“ESB also commissioned specialists to carry out a condition assessment of the chimneys. This included an assessment of the foundations of the chimneys,” the spokesperson said.

“As the findings are still under consideration, we have deferred any further works until we have established with greater certainty how they will impact on the remaining lifetime of the chimneys.”

The thermal station chimneys, which were completed in 1971, are among the tallest structures in Ireland and are visible from most of Dublin city.

Number 1 chimney is 207.48m (680 ft 9in) high and Number 2 chimney is 207.8m (681 ft 9in) high.

Dublin City Councillor Dermot Lacey began a process to list the chimneys for preservation to safeguard their future after the Station was to close in 2010 however this was later refused by the Council Planning Department.