Outgoing Lord Mayor criticises long-running Cork events centre saga

The outgoing Lord Mayor of Cork has attacked the government over the city’s long-running events centre saga and said it’s now time for them to deliver.

Outgoing Lord Mayor criticises long-running Cork events centre saga

The outgoing Lord Mayor of Cork has attacked the government over the city’s long-running events centre saga and said it’s now time for them to deliver.

In a parting shot before he steps down as Lord Mayor on Friday, Independent Cllr Mick Finn said government and “high-profile ministers” who have “put their reputations on the line” now need to “match words with deeds and deliver” this and other key capital projects for Cork.

As well as the controversial event centre project, Mr Finn said they need to deliver on the city’s ambitious transport strategy, which includes provision for a €1bn light rail system, the proposed €3m pedestrian bridge into the recently opened Tramore Valley Park and the range of infrastructure necessary to unlock the potential of the city’s sprawling docklands region, including the Eastern Gateway bridge.

“We have heard criticism of the democratic decision against the directly elected mayor as a threat to Cork and Cork projects,” Mr Finn said.

“This is in the context of major projects vital for the future of Cork rambling on without decision amid political interference and intransigence by private developers.

“Government needs to earn people’s respect. People rightly, in my opinion, made a decision not to opt for a directly elected Lord Mayor because the information was so poor.

If Cork is such a key to the 2040 National Development Plan, government will have to start moving on projects rather than talking about them.

Despite a redesign, soaring costs, and protracted delays over the additional state funding element - issues which have yet to be resolved - Tánaiste Simon Coveney has insisted several times that the Cork event centre project is not another false dawn and will be delivered.

Developer BAM has yet to respond to a request for further information in relation to its planning application for the now enlarged venue.

It is understood that it is working on the request and will submit the information before the July 3 deadline. A planning decision is expected within four weeks of that date.

However, efforts continue in the background to deliver the additional state funding which has become mired in controversy over the classification of a €9m slice of the overall €30m state-aid package as a repayable loan.

The Taoiseach, who admitted that the pre-election 2016 event centre sod-turning ceremony was a mistake, has also insisted that the project will be delivered.

Martin Fraser, the Secretary General to the Irish Government and Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, is now playing a lead role with the various government departments involved in this project in a bid to resolve the various complex funding arrangements.

But Mr Finn said the non-delivery of the proposed 6,000-capacity event centre on South Main Street during the course of the last council term is a source of huge disappointment.

“We as councillors and council have done what was asked of us: the developers now need to get on with it or get out of it,” he said.

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