Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)

Can the Taoiseach tell us when the Government will make an announcement on the issue of funding for the Cork events centre? It is now nearly eight and a half years since a clatter of politicians, led by Enda Kenny and Simon Coveney, were photographed turning the sod in the run up to a general election and still to this day, not a single brick has been laid.

Can the Taoiseach tell us what the cost to the State will be? The original plan was for €20 million. Over the years it has skyrocketed to €57 million. To be honest, the State could have built it for less than that and held it in public ownership but instead the Government chose to hand it over to a private operator. In any case, I understand the new figure will be higher than €57 million and I would like to know what it is. Can the Taoiseach tell us?

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