Plans for a €50m events centre in Cork City, which have been bedeviled by hitches in the tendering process, are back on track, with work expected to commence early next year.

The future of a €50m events centre for Cork city was being called into question last night after management at City Hall again refused to brief furious councillors on the status of the tender process.

Rival backers of multimillion- euro events centre projects in Cork have welcomed news that public investment may be available to help get the scheme off the ground.