A decision on whether there will be an oral hearing into the North Quays Strategic Development Zone in Waterford will be made after Easter.
An Bord Pleanala is currently dealing with two valid objections and is currently preparing the file for the inspector.
Meanwhile the Taoiseach says money for the project can be available from next January.
Leo Varadkar met the company behind the proposed development during his visit to Waterford last week.
He WLR News that funding will be available as long as the project stays on track.
The Taoiseach said that from a central government point of view they are going to open the funds to applications, because to develop the North Quays there is infastructure work that needs to be done like the transport hub and the Bridge. He said they can take that application within the next few months and assuming it is successful they can start paying down the money from the 1st of January 2019.
Regarding planning objections to An Bord Pleánala, the Taoiseach said that is something he has no control over but this is a project that it's time has come. Part of what is in Project 2040 is that the population of Waterford City and suburbs should increase by fifty percent over the next 20 years and the North Quays is really central to that.
