€61m for Haulbowline ‘not enough’ to convert old steel plant to public amenity

A senior government official has warned that the €61m budget announced for the clean-up of the former Irish Steel plant on Haulbowline in Cork Harbour will not be enough to complete plans to transform the site into a major public recreation amenity.

Documents released under Freedom of Information legislation show funding for the completion of the project beyond remediation works on the toxic dump left from steel production over several decades has not been secured.

It follows on from revelations in June that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has already raised major concerns about the scale of expenditure on the project.