Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the support he will provide to progress a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37534/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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In conjunction with the Inter-Departmental Senior Officials Group which was established to consider the analysis and recommendations in the Cork Docklands Development Forum Report, my Department and Cork City Council is considering what enabling measures can be put in place to further progress the development of Cork Docklands, taking account of the changed economic circumstances and the current slowdown in construction activity and demand.

The Forum's Report envisages very significant investment in public infrastructure, including the provision of an Eastern Gateway Bridge and the re-location of the port to Ringaskiddy. Due to prevailing budgetary conditions, decisions in relation to the bridge, enabling link roads and port re-location, for which funding had been sought under the Gateway Innovation Fund, were deferred in 2008. However, the Government's Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016, published over the Summer, purposes the re-establishment of the Gateway Innovation Fund to support innovative and locally co-funded projects that will promote the economic development of the NSS Gateways as motors for their wider regions and the national economy, with an indicative level of Exchequer funding of €200 million from 2012 on.