Cork people being treated 'like a bunch of fools' over delayed event centre, says TD

An initial €20m State aid package to develop the former Beamish and Crawford land on South Main Street was on offer, but that increased over the years to €57m by last year.

Senior Cork politicians are "treating the people of the city like a bunch of fools" a TD has said following confirmation of yet another delay on a decision on additional state funding for the long-awaited event centre.

Despite assurances in recent weeks from Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, former finance minister Michael McGrath, and former Tánaiste Simon Coveney that they hoped a funding decision would be made before the end of July, it has emerged that a decision has been postponed until the autumn.

Cabinet is due to gather for its last meeting of the term on Wednesday morning, during which RTÉ funding, disability services and legislation around access to cash will all be discussed.

However, the Irish Examiner reported today that the Cork event centre is not on the agenda, despite promises that a decision on the addition funding would be made, meaning it is not likely to be approved until at least September.

An initial €20m State aid package to develop the former Beamish and Crawford land on South Main Street was on offer, but that increased over the years to €57m by last year.

It is understood that following the completion of detailed design work last summer, extra state funding of up to €30m could be required.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry criticised the city’s senior politicians for the latest delay. Picture: Damien Storan.

Cork City Council, which is overseeing the process, completed a detailed review of the additional funding requirements and submitted its report to the department of local government last December.

But seven months on, the issue has yet to come before cabinet for decision.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry criticised the city’s senior politicians for the latest delay.

“It was Simon Coveney's baby then Simon decided to retire from politics,” he said.

“Then Michael McGrath was going to steer it home but now Michael is heading off to Europe.

“Meanwhile, every second month the people of Cork are told that a final decision is just around the corner and every single time that final decision is delayed once again".

The Cork North Central TD said there is no transparency around the issue and that the people of Cork should be told what exactly is causing these multiple delays.

He said the money would have been better spent on a state-owned event centre and argued that it would be complete and open for business now if that option had been decided upon.

Cork City Council has argued that it has no expertise in running an event centre, and that to have Live Nation, one the world’s largest entertainment companies lined up to operate it, will be of major benefit to the city.