The Government has refused to fund a controversial €25 million white-water rafting facility in Dublin.
Dublin City Council sought €19 million for the project from the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF).
However, the Housing Minister has confirmed the Government has refused to fund the proposed development on Geroge's Dock.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond, Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “While significant URDF funding was provisionally approved for a number of elements of the wider proposal the White Water Rafting element was not successful in securing URDF support.
“Any plans for the further advancement of this or any other proposed development for George’s Dock is a matter for Dublin City Council.”
Green Party MEP Ciaran Cuffe told Lunchtime Live he was pleased to hear the minister's response.
He said: "I think this was going to be a very expensive showpiece project, that I don't think would have delivered sufficient benefits for local people and all Dubliners alike.
"The irony is local kids swim a lot... but there's no huge tradition of white-water rafting in Dublin city centre."
Mr Cuffe believes similar projects in the UK are more focused on the stag and hen party markets than benefiting locals.
He said authorities should 'think big', but not lose the run of themselves.
He suggested some of the arguments in favour of the proposal - such as it becoming a training site for Dublin Fire Brigade - 'were verging on ludicrous'.
The news comes despite the council earlier this year inviting expressions of interest to build the facility.
Dublin City Council has previously said it would expect the facility to attract 30,000 people a year.
However, the cost of the plan has received widespread criticism - with Senator Michael McDowell describing it as a 'vanity-driven project'.
The project has the support of DCC chief Owen Keegan, who has said the project "will be ready and waiting at the appropriate time to be implemented".
