Re-tendering process for events centre expectedto take up to 18 months

The re-tendering process for the Cork Events Centre is expected to take 12 to 18 months, a Cork TD has been told.

It comes as the first meeting of the project development board, led up by assistant chief executive of Cork City Council, Brian Geaney, was held this evening.

Labour Party TD Eoghan Kenny recently asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage about the timeline for making decisions relating to the retendering and development board engagement.

The minister told him that the government was committed to the project and ongoing funding for an events centre in Cork city, which was reaffirmed by its decision last October to put it out for retendering.

He explained: “The decision requires that the procurement process begins afresh and that a project development board, led by Cork City Council, be established to expedite the process.

“My department wrote to Cork City Council on October 31 2024 outlining details of the Government decision and the next steps required of the council in order to begin formation of the project development board, including identification of potential board members and drafting the terms of reference for the board.”

“The Government decision of October 22 notes that every effort will be made by the project development board to ensure that the new procurement process, State aid clearance, and planning compliance are completed within 12 to 18 months.”

Mr Kenny told The Echo: “The 12 to 18 month delay is a worrying target to receive in writing from the Government. This was a layer of scrutiny on the project imposed by Government itself and could have been avoided if, as requested by my colleague since 2017 councillor Peter Horgan, full transparency on project documents and issues were published.” 

He added that the Labour Party hopes the first project development board “will yield a more transparent process than what has previously been the case from central Government”.