McCreevy fast-tracked Kildare project funds

CHARLIE McCREEVY indicated his support for the building of an event centre in his Kildare heartland, using taxpayers money, before any application was made to the Government for funding.

Amid suggestions a deal was struck between the Minister for Finance and Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh to fund the Punchestown project, the taxpayer’s watchdog said that proper guidelines were not followed in meeting the 15 million cost.

This month the venue hosts Santa’s Kingdom, though the money was granted to build a national agricultural and eventing exhibition and international show centre. In an affair that was described as a cowboy story, approval for the funding of the centre was fast-tracked through the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Finance three years ago even though the price rose from 6.9m to 14.8m.