Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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598. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for a full update on the Cork Events Centre project; the key next stages and estimated timelines; and the exact amount of public funding, from all sources, spent on the project to date. [16047/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Cork Events Centre (CEC), which will provide a venue for concerts, conferences, community events and contribute to the economic and social development of Cork and the Southern Region, 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, 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. A commitment to “work towards the completion of the Cork Events Centre to enhance Cork’s cultural landscape and boost the city’s regeneration” has also been included in the Programme for Government.

The Government decision requires that the procurement process begins afresh and that a Project Development Board (PDB), led by Cork City Council, be established to expedite the process. It also notes that every effort will be made by the PDB to ensure that the new procurement process, State Aid clearance and planning compliance are completed within a 12 to 18 month period.

The first meeting of the PDB took place on the 24th January. It is chaired by the Assistant Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Mr Brian Geaney, and has representation from relevant Government Departments and Agencies, as well as members with relevant experience and expertise from Cork. It has met a total of three times to date and is scheduled to meet monthly throughout 2025.

Cork City Council, under the guidance of the PDB, has issued tenders for a Project Management Delivery Team (PMDT), a multidisciplinary team that is being appointed to progress all phases of project delivery. It is planned that the PMDT will be appointed by May 2025 and work on the procurement documentation for the CEC development can commence at that stage.

Cork City Council is also carrying out a separate engagement process with the preferred bidder under the previous procurement process, as required by the Government decision.

The total costs expended by Cork City Council to date are €1,616,457, inclusive of €1 million received from Dept. of Tourism, Culture Arts Gaeltacht Sport and Media in 2015.