Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I share the concern of Deputies Ellis and Shortall, not only in respect of Young Ballymun but also with regard to the Preparing for Life programme and the childhood development initiative in Tallaght.

5 o’clock

My Adjournment matter relates to the event centre proposed and planned for Cork. It is a crucial project for Cork city. The lack of such a facility during the years has led to any number of events, incuding corporate events, party political Ard-Fheiseanna and concerts, being lost to Cork, with the potential economic benefits. It is welcome that the previous Government committed to funding the project. It was, by and large, an exception to the lack of investment in Cork in recent years. The M20 project was not delivered, which was a scandalous decision and the most notable example.

It is believed the centre would be able to facilitate approximately 200 performances a year and mean about €50 million for the local economy and 500,000 visitors to Cork city per annum. It is an enormous project of significant value which is very important to commerce and the leisure industry in the city. Not only that, there would also be food and retail aspects, as well as apartments. It has the potential to revitalise substantial parts of Cork city, from Barrack Street to North Main Street and South Main Street, right into the marsh, to which parts of the city it would make a major difference. There would also be by-products such as employment creation.

I am aware of the Government's commitment of €10 million, as well as the €6 million committed by Cork City Council, both of which added €2 million subsequently, which means that the level of public funding for the project stands at about €20 million. The project was given the green light in December 2014. It is now four months since the Taoiseach turned the sod and it is becoming increasingly clear that it was just a farce and a stunt in the context of an election. There has been absolutely no progress since. The people of Cork are beginning to wonder about the current status of the project and what will happen next. As yet, there has been no construction. We are all aware that it will be a lengthy project which will probably require 26 months to complete and the only sod that has been turned on the site is the one that was turned by the Taoiseach. There is some confusion in Cork about the project. I do not want to say there is significant concern because there is no intention to create panic. My understanding is the Government commitment still stands. I hope the Minister of State will affirm this in the strongest possible terms and that the Government will not only follow through on it with funding but will also be actively involved in the process of ensuring the project is delivered and progressed.

Heineken BAM is one of the largest partners involved in the project, but we have received no update from it since March. I understand the design has not yet been completed, nor have the contracts, never mind the construction phase. There needs to be a clear commitment to drive the project which is both significant and expensive, involving a cost of some €53 million. Aside from the €20 million in public funding, €33 million is required from the various partners involved in it. A significant job of work needs to be done and it is vitally important that we have a better understanding of how the project is progressing, in terms of financing, design, planning, contracts and, most importantly, construction. Things have dragged on for far too long. As I said, in the four months since the Taoiseach turned the sod we have seen no progress. The people of Cork are becoming frustrated and concerned.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys.

In the context of the Government's infrastructure and capital investment plan for the period 2016 to 2021, Building on Recovery, the Minister has allocated a grant of €12 million to Cork City Council towards the development of a multifunctional event centre in Cork city, the Cork event centre. The total project cost is estimated to be approximately €50 million and the centre will be built on the former Beamish and Crawford brewery site in the city centre. The grantee, Cork City Council, not the Department, is responsible for the management and delivery of the project. A service level agreement has been signed between the Department and the council which sets out the terms and conditions of the grant. Cork City Council undertook a competitive dialogue tender process in 2014 and a preferred bidder was selected, namely, Heineken BAM Consortium, for the construction of the centre and Live Nation limited as operator. Competitive dialogue is a procedure designed to provide more flexibility in the tendering process for more complex contracts. A competitive dialogue procedure was adopted in order to open a dialogue with suitable candidates to identify and define the means best suited to satisfying the council's needs.

I understand from Cork City Council that negotiations with the preferred bidder are at an advanced stage and that it expects construction to begin in 2016. It is estimated that up to 250 people will be employed in the construction and design stage. The objective of the grant is to facilitate the council in delivering the design, construction and operation of a new multi-functional event centre in Cork city centre, with a capacity of 6,000 persons. It is envisaged that the event centre will, inter alia, be capable of accommodating a range of events, including concerts, festivals, family entertainment, cultural, sports, exhibitions, conferences and trade shows.

The project supports the high levels goals of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, namely, to promote and develop Ireland's world-class artistic and creative strengths at home and abroad, maximising their societal, economic and reputational value for the economy and to support cultural tourism as one of the most important elements of Ireland's tourism product, thus stimulating job creation and economic regeneration. The Government appreciates the importance of the arts, culture and creative industries to our society and economy. As a nation, we have a distinctive tradition of storytelling, image-making and music which complements many fields of the arts. The arts are and always have been fundamental human enterprises. In understanding art we understand ourselves. The arts are central to cultural identity and our identity as a nation. Irish people have a deep affinity with the practice of the arts. Arts and culture are important in the strategy for marketing Ireland and economic growth. In some respects, our culture is our international calling card. The Cork event centre will play its part in attracting visitors and promoting cultural tourism on the island of Ireland. It will add significantly to the cultural infrastructure of Cork for the enjoyment of citizens and tourists alike.

The importance of the arts cannot be understated. They help to foster creativity and innovation. In Ireland we are conscious of the role of the arts and culture sector in providing vital opportunities for self-expression and participation. We are determined to do our best to provide the conditions in which creative expression can flourish and are committed to enhancing access to the arts for people of all ages and income levels. The grant provided for Cork City Council for the new Cork event centre is critical to the delivery of the new centre and will help to underpin and grow the already vibrant arts and culture sector in Cork and its surrounds.