PÁIRC’S FINAL COST IS €96M

THE final cost for the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh was estimated last night at €95.8million. The figure comes in at almost €26m more than had originally been budgeted for when the project was initially given the green light and is still €10m more than the revised cost, which emerged after it became public that the project had overrun. Cork county chairperson Tracey Kennedy told delegates at December’s county convention that the final bill stood at €86m, after Croke Park stadium chief Peter McKenna had suggested that the final cost would come in as high as €110m. That prompted two of Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s board members, Michael O’Flynn and Tom Gray, to examine the contrasting figures. Yesterday’s meeting also confirmed that the remainder of Cork’s Allianz League hurling and football fixtures will be played at Páirc Uí Rinn after the Páirc Uí Chaoimh pitch was labelled ‘unacceptable’ following a double header earlier this month. ‘A final decision on whether to undertake a full pitch replacement or other remediation work on the Páirc Uí Chaoimh pitch will be taken by the stadium board in the immediate future,’ confirmed the stadium board last night.