Cork event centre tenders to be issued to bidders next month

Housing minister James Browne will update Cabinet today on progress on the long-awaited Cork event centre

James Browne's department will formally approve the detailed business case under approval gate 2 of the infrastructure guidelines. Picture: Larry Cummins

Cork City Council is to move towards the tender stage on the long-awaited Cork event centre, as the Government is set to approve detailed business case for the project.

Housing minister James Browne will today update Cabinet on progress on the event centre, with his department formally approving the detailed business case under approval gate 2 of the infrastructure guidelines.

The project is now set to move forward, with tenders due to be issued to selected bidders later this month.

It is understood the delivery model chosen for the event centre means neither Cork City Council nor the State will own the site.

Despite this, the Department of Housing is looking at options to mitigate risks associated with this model, including a legal charge on the property.

The successful bidder on the project will be required to run the event centre for several years, but the exact time is yet to be determined.

There will also be a requirement for the successful bidder to provide 50% of the capital funding for construction of the project.

Operational aspects, including maintenance and running the centre, must be fully funded by the successful bidder, it is understood.

The saga surrounding the event centre has been long running, with significant delays and false starts to its delivery.

Then taoiseach Enda Kenny turned the sod at the former Beamish & Crawford site in 2016, but the project stalled thereafter.

Hot school meals

Separately, social protection minister Dara Calleary will update ministers on the nutrition review of the hot school meals programme.

The review makes a number of recommendations intended to to improve nutritional standards, taking in analytics from 360 meals across 15 suppliers and 54 school visits.

Culture minister Patrick O’Donovan, meanwhile, is to bring forward a report on Ireland’s Youth Forum on Online Safety.

The forum saw 91 children, aged between 10 and 17, discuss issues surrounding social media, including the possibility of age restrictions on platforms.

It found that while there was support for an age limit, with 84% of participants agreeing, there were warnings issued that a sudden, wide ranging ban could leave children unprepared.

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The forum participants said there should be age checks, parental controls, time limits, and stronger privacy features for social media sites, while also calling for more digital literacy education and accountability for tech firms.

It comes as Ireland has made online safety a priority as part of its EU presidency, with Mr O’Donovan pressing for age limits on social media platforms.

Artificial intelligence office

Cabinet will also receive an update from enterprise minister Peter Burke on Ireland’s recently established AI office, which will confirm the appointment of Paul Byrne , formerly of the Medical Council, as its CEO.

It will be required to coordinate Ireland’s obligations under the EU AI Act, while also leading on research.

While the office is based within the Department of Enterprise, it is independent of Government.

• Tadgh McNally, Political Reporter