2026-01-14

In the programme for Government, it was clearly set out that there would be a task force set up to look at the revitalisation of Cork city centre. The Taoiseach has his own problems with calling it a task force, but a group should be set up to look at the revitalisation of the city centre. On Monday of this week, the Taoiseach was in Cork for the turning of the sod on the foundations of a 25-storey building which will have 217 apartments. This will be a welcome residential development in the city. My question is about the revitalisation of the city centre. It is not attractive for people to come into the city centre in real terms. We have already set up a task force for Dublin. It has given its report in which it set out a clear roadmap for delivery. When will this task force or group, which is in the programme for Government, going to be set up to look at the revitalisation of the city centre in Cork, to deal with the whole issue of vacant buildings and also to deal with derelict buildings? How can we work to develop those and to deliver new infrastructure as well? There are a lot of good projects on the cards, such as light rail. For instance, one area of the city where there has been revitalisation is McCurtain Street. However, if you go to McCurtain Street, there are still six or seven vacant buildings there. Likewise, another area to look at is Blackpool. It is part of the city where there has been very little real development in the sense of revitalisation. A task force or group would be important with regard to getting that up and running. Even if we set it up now, it will take six or months to produce a report and then there is the implementation and establishing a timescale for it. When is this group going to be set up? It will obviously be a joint approach between the city council, the Government, State agencies and the private sector. It is extremely important that we progress this project.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue in respect of establishing a group to identify issues relating to the future of Cork's city centre. We have not been waiting for the establishment of this group. There has been very significant investment in all the key areas in Cork. A €200 million investment for the airport was announced by the DAA last year and, of course, because of the renewable energy agenda, the Port of Cork has successfully secured funding from Europe and Government backing through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, to enable development to facilitate renewables. It was announced recently that the Crawford Gallery is to receive a €90 million investment, which really help the rejuvenation of the inner city. On Tuesday, the Government's decision to invest in the Tyndall National Institute was announced. It is a world-class research facility in terms of semi-conductors. The Government has allocated well over €100 million. I do not want to go too far any more because everyone is watching and listening, but there is a longer list of what I could identify, including the flood relief schemes. The Minister of State, Deputy Moran, is prompting me on his activity levels. The docklands has been particularly strong. I pay tribute to Cork City Council for its can-do attitude. I wish other local authorities would take on board Cork City Council's attitude on getting things done. We saw that with the 800 new social housing units announced this week, which includes a development in the city centre. For me, part of the issue with Cork's city centre, and with all cities, is that we need to reimagine our city centres and bring more residential units back into them. We saw that with the Railyard project, which will deliver 200-odd units in the heart of city and will, in due course, help the commerce of the city as well. The living city initiative announced in the budget, which affects the existing cities but also adds five new centres, including Athlone, will unlock some of that dereliction and it is hoped will allow people to invest in above-the-shop projects because it has been much more liberalised in terms of the regulatory framework governing the application of the living city initiative. We are going to establish a group. I expect it to come to Government shortly. There has been good work undertaken by the city council with a group at the university in trying to map the issues and in terms of envisaging the future of the city, particularly its central core and how that will work out in the future. We expect to come to Government with proposals in respect of that shortly.

I fully accept what the Taoiseach is saying with regard to the lots of progress that has been made. However, I dealt with the issue of a day centre for Cork when I was a Minister of State and it is only in the past four weeks that tenders have been invited for its creation. This centre will be extremely important for people who are homeless and have accommodation at night but have nowhere to go during the day. It is important that this project is progressed. There is a need for an overall plan in relation to the city centre. I accept that Cork City Council and its councillors and management are working very hard on various projects in the city centre. The Taoiseach identified the investment in the Crawford Gallery, which is an extremely important development, but we still have a lot of work to do. It is about a careful and co-ordinated plan being put in place and that is what a group can do. I ask that the group - I know the Taoiseach does not want to call it a task force - be set up at the earliest possible date.

It is the city council that does not want to call it a task force. When I met it some time back I was told that it has issues with that term because its view is that the city has made a lot of progress. The city council accepts that the future needs a certain vision and approach. We will not get too exercised about terms. I have had consultations with the city council, as have others. We are close to putting flesh on the bones of this and bringing it to Government for a decision on the establishment of the group and for the group to then come back with recommendations after that.