Despite the publication of leaked information from the long-awaited Cork Docklands Plan, a government official has confirmed that there are currently no plans to publish the official report.

GOODBYE! The QE2, one of the world's most famous ocean liners steamed into Cork Harbour for the last time yesterday as part of her farewell tour. The ship was a frequent visitor to Cork over the years. Picture: Provision.

According to media reports in yesterday's (Wednesday, October 1) Irish Times, the new plan called the Wrixon Report says that the exchequer should fund hundreds of millions of euro worth of infrastructure to kickstart the development of Cork docklands. It states that "€615 million will have to be spent up to 2020 on three bridges, three roads, public transport, water, schools etc" for the development.

It adds that the Government should heed long-standing demands from Cork that major tax incentives to back the project should be included in this year's budget.

The report in the Irish Times also says the "Wrixon report has recommended that a new body should be set up to oversee the 20-year development of the area but says planning control should remain with Cork City Council, following strong lobbying by city manager Joe Gavin."

However, while the report has now entered the public domain, a government official from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government stressed that yesterday's report was merely a leak and that there has been no decision made as regards the timeline for the publication of the plan.

He confirmed that the government had set-up a high level group to examine the report and advise the government on their response to the plan but, said, as yet the plan has not even come before government. It's understood that the plan cannot be published until after it goes before government who will then decide if it will be published at all.

Speaking to the Cork Independent, Cork North Central Fine Gael TD and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Bernard Allen strongly opposed the statement there was no timeline for the publication of the plan. He said that it had been widely acknowledged that the plan was to be published by September 30 and said that the failure to put the plan in the public domain was "a government ploy to delay the publication until after the budget so as to avoid having to make a decision on it." He also strongly criticised the failure of Cork's senior Minister's to push forward the publication of the plan.

Deputy Allen has tabled a Dáil question to the Minister for Finance asking the government for a date when the long-awaited report will now be published.

Meanwhile, Labour's Cllr Catherine Clancy who is a member of the Docklands Policy Committee said that she was very disappointed that the document had been leaked at this late stage and said it should now be published as soon as possible.

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