15 January 2016
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Simon Coveney’s portfolio as Minister relates to Agriculture and the Marine, but as Cork’s only Senior Minister (the other ‘Ministers’ are Junior Ministers) Deputy Coveney is often looked upon as Corks’ ‘direct-line to Government’.
Coveney has been quoted as blaming the delayed commencement of work on the South Main Street Event Centre on the fact that “every stakeholder has been looking for the best terms for its shareholders”.
But, Workers’ Party Cork City Councillor Ted Tynan has described those comments as “disgraceful”.
Cllr. Tynan said it was quite clear that the Fine Gael Minister was putting the interests of “big business speculators” ahead of the “ordinary people of Cork” (whoever they may be).
Councillor Ted Tynan said “The minister’s concern for speculators comes despite the fact that the state is putting up €20 million, or 40 per cent of the total cost of the private Events Centre, at a time when we have the worst housing crisis in the history of the state”
Councillor Ted Tynan concluded
“I would like to know what involvement will the state have on the board of the company that is building the events centre?, and will the taxpayer get 40 per cent of the profits made by the centre?”
What do you think about the delays? Lets us know on twitter @TheCork_ie
