A key part of the several hundred million euro redevelopment of the Cork docklands area looks like getting under way later this year after the Minister for Transport, Mr Cullen, yesterday urged CIÉ and Cork City Council to resolve their differences to move the project forward.

Cork city manager Mr Joe Gavin recently expressed disappointment at CIÉ's failure to start work on the refurbishment of Kent Station and to advance the development of the adjacent Horgan's Quay site, which has been earmarked for development for the past seven years.

But yesterday, Mr Cullen said that he was hopeful that any differences between Cork City Council and CIÉ over the refurbishment of Kent Station and the development of Horgan's Quay would be resolved soon to allow much-needed infrastructural investment to take place.

"I'm hopeful it will be resolved. Obviously you'd like to see all these important developments go ahead and go ahead at pace. Now is the time for the sort of investment in key general infrastructure and I would urge both parties to resolve their issues," he said.

CIÉ chairman Dr John Lynch said that CIÉ was awaiting completion of a feasibility study on the redevelopment of a Cork-Midleton rail link which would determine how much land the State transport authority can free up at Horgan's Quay to private development.

"Horgan's Quay will be done. The Midleton feasibility study will be finished in the first quarter, certainly the first five months of this year, and after that we'll decide what land we need in Horgan's Quay."

Dr Lynch said the refurbishment of Kent Station was likely to cost €20 million while the re-opening of the Cork-Midleton line would require between €40-€50 million.

The entire development of Horgan's Quay is likely to run into hundreds of million of euro.

Mr Cullen and Dr Lynch were speaking at the official opening of the refurbished Bus Éireann station in Cork city centre, which saw €4 million being invested.