Minister Coveney downplays fears over 500 jobs

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has downplayed fears that a substantial number of jobs could be lost to Cork if a judicial review delays plans to build offices to house these workers.

In January, Swiss security systems multinational Tyco announced 500 jobs for Cork. It was understood that the company would be the anchor tenant in a new nine-storey office block proposed by John Cleary Developments.

Cork City Council granted planning permission for the 200,000 sq ft Albert Quay development in February and it was initially hoped the project would be complete by December 2015.

However, rival developer Elysian Management Ltd, part of the O’Flynn construction group, has now been granted leave by the High Court to seek a judicial review of the council’s decision. It is listed for mention on June 3.

Yesterday, Mr Coveney said he hoped those proposing the development and those objecting to it “will be able to provide the clarity needed” so that the project can go ahead.

“I’d like to think concerns could be resolved without a long drawn-out legal process,” Mr Coveney said.

He said Tyco has “shown a commitment to Cork” and there was “a responsibility on everyone to try and find a way forward and to get the offices Tyco are looking for built”.

However, he defended the actions of Elysian Management, saying that “if someone has a concern in relation to a development, they are entitled to raise it”.

“There is a process to be gone through and anyone that wants to seek a judicial review can do so,” said Mr Coveney.

His Fine Gael colleague, TD Dara Murphy, said he was concerned that, within the current system, there were “no definite timelines” when it came to planning appeals or “as a consequence of a linked judicial process”.

“Compared to the UK, both our processes are slower and we are competing against the UK for jobs. We should be seeking to maximise our competitive advantage,” said Mr Murphy.

Mr Coveney said there was “a bit of time to play with” in relation to Tyco becoming anchor tenant in the Albert Quay scheme because jobs would initially be accommodated at another John Cleary Developments development in Citygate, Mahon, outside Cork City.