Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, was launched in 2018 as one of the flagship elements of Project Ireland 2040. URDF is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. It provides up to 75% funding for applicant-led projects to support a programme of significant transformational capital projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the national planning framework and the national development plan.

As applicant-led projects, responsibility for the composition of any applications for URDF funding and their advancement through the various stages of planning, development and completion is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant local authority, which in this case is Cork City Council.

With regard to the Grand Parade Quarter proposal, a successful application was submitted for funding under the first round for the first phase of the Grand Parade Quarter project proposal. Funding of €916,000 was allocated for this project to regenerate the area of the Grand Parade Quarter through completing preliminary design works for future projects.

Under URDF call 2, a further €46.5m was provisionally allocated to build upon the design works developed under call 1. The city library is one element of this overall proposal. The proposal will bring about the regeneration of the Grand Parade quarter, an underutilised area of Cork city. Furthermore, this redevelopment will be transformative and will combine with other complementary developments in the area to create a vibrant quarter where culture and learning acts as a catalyst for business and tourism. Other elements of the proposal include the rejuvenation of Bishop Lucey Park and the completion of a number of bridges to enhance access to the quarter.

The Grand Parade has traditionally been the home of Cork's city library, but the existing library is currently limited in its capacity to achieve the potential for a library in a UNESCO learning city. It is proposed to develop a new library in a well-designed iconic building that embraces its riverside location as part of a vibrant mixed-use quarter. The city library service is an important component of the cultural, literary and recreational infrastructure of Cork city and its community now and into the future. Providing a new city library of scale and substance is a priority for the council and a key objective for the city.

Overall, the Grand Parade quarter project is progressing very well, with Bishop Lucey Park and the bridge at Lambley’s Lane substantially complete. The official opening of these redevelopments is taking place tomorrow. Multiple options have been considered for the new library by Cork City Council. There has been a significant level of engagement between Cork City Council and officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the project. I understand a revised preliminary business case that will set out the council’s preferred options is expected to be submitted to the Department in the coming weeks.

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