Concern as Event Centre left out of Project Ireland 2040 update

Concerns have been raised about the Cork Event Centre’s absence from the Project Ireland 2040 update that was published yesterday.

The Event Centre failed to be listed under the investments and programme tracker, which includes a range of projects and programmes to be delivered over the period of the National Development Plan, which is being reviewed.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath said the information presented on the tracker “demonstrates that Government recognises that infrastructure investment is key to the economic and social recovery of our country”.

However, Labour local area rep Peter Horgan said the absence of the Cork Event Centre from the latest update is concerning.

“Millions were pledged for this project, public money,” he said. “Where is that public money pledge now in the Department of Public Expenditure? Has it been shifted to another project or projects? We need more concrete evidence than ‘we remain committed’.”

However, a Government spokesperson claimed there’s “nothing sinister” about the Event Centre’s exclusion.

According to the spokesperson, the tracker only represents projects that started from 2018 onwards.

“It’s just that it [the Events Centre] was not captured by this tracker because it was before 2018 that it was started,” they told The Echo.

The updated tracker contains specific information on the current status of projects, detailing expected project construction commencement and completion dates.

Speaking just last month at Cork Chamber of Commerce’s online breakfast briefing, Cork City Council chief executive Ann Doherty said that the effects of Covid-19 has seen an impact on the development of the Event Centre.

She said that while the project is set to progress, with most recent engagements reaffirming the commitment of the consortium of Live Nation and Bam, Live Nation “are very committed to the project” but added “the issue for them is that they have no global visibility and a pathway to the live entertainment industry coming back in place”.

The 6,000-seater centre is due to be built on the site of the former Beamish & Crawford brewery on South Main St.

In 2014, construction firm Bam won the initial tender for state aid, which has since been increased to €50m. The sod was turned in February 2016 but the project has been mired in controversy for some time.