'No more false promises': Decision on events centre due in weeks

A FINAL decision on works for the long-awaited Cork events centre is expected in the coming weeks, following an assessment of Cork City Council’s additional funding allocation submission, the finance minister has said.

It was announced at a Cork City Council meeting in December that additional funding would be required for the project, due to inflation, and following the completion of a detailed design.

Initially, the consortium that won the tender for the centre, Bam and Live Nation, was expected to benefit from €20m in State funding, which was later increased to €50m, and then to €57m.

State funding for the project has almost tripled since the turning of the sod in 2016.

Now that the detailed design stage has reached completion, further allocations for the project to progress are yet to be decided.

Speaking to The Echo, Finance Minister Michael McGrath said that a decision on the events centre project, particularly in relation to commencement of construction, can be expected “very shortly”, following a final assessment by the Department of Housing.

“The important thing, for me, is when it comes to any further announcement about the events centre is that action follows, and that we have no more false promises,” he said.

“I do anticipate that it will go to Government for a final decision in the coming weeks, but I want to make sure that the final decision is one that can be stood over.

“The housing department, which is the line department with responsibility, is finalising its assessments of the submission from the Cork City Council, and I expect that will be completed very shortly.”

Asked if he believes construction will commence soon after the assessment, he said: “The hope is that we will see work on the ground come quickly. I think that’s what the people of Cork deserve and expect at this stage.

“I think it would give a huge boost to the city centre, and would drive a lot of footfall into the city,” he added.

“It would enable us to host events here that we cannot currently host within the city centre, and, for the hospitality industry, accommodation providers, restaurants, cafes, pubs and other services, it would be a shot in the arm that I think would be warmly welcomed, so I want to see it happen...and I know my colleagues across Government do as well.

“We need to have the ‘i’s dotted and the ‘t’s crossed to make sure we have no more false promises when it comes to the events centre in Cork.”