Simon Coveney: There will be no blank cheque for Cork events centre

The Government will not write a blank cheque for the developers of Cork’s 6,000-seat events centre who have requested an extra €18m in state funding — almost double what has been sanctioned.

The warning from Local Government Minister Simon Coveney comes as the Department of Arts assesses the increased funding request from BAM ahead of a final decision from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

“The State has given everything to this project that it’s been asked to give,” said Mr Coveney.