Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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755. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to detail the documents he has personally reviewed regarding the Cork Event Centre in relation to potential land acquisition of same; and the timeline for making decisions relating to the retendering and development board engagement. [46862/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Cork Event Centre was included as a Government commitment under the revised National Development Plan in 2021. This underlines the Government’s support for urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre.

The Government decision of 22 October 2024 re-affirms its commitment to and ongoing Exchequer funding support for an Events Centre in Cork City, given its strategic alignment with the growth ambition for Cork City, as set out in the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan. The decision requires that the procurement process begins afresh and that a project development board, led by Cork City Council, be established to expedite the process.

My Department wrote to Cork City Council on the 31 October 2024 outlining details of the Government decision and the next steps required of the Council in order to begin formation of the Project Development Board, including identification of potential Board members and drafting the terms of reference for the Board. These initial steps are well advanced and the first board meeting is scheduled to take place imminently.

The Government decision of 22 October notes that every effort will be made by the Project Development Board to ensure that the new procurement process, State Aid clearance and planning compliance are completed within a 12 to 18 month period.

The development of the Cork Events Centre project has not included proposals for land acquisition to date, and so there are no documents to be reviewed in this regard.