Ms Clare McGrath:

As the State contracting party with what I call the PPP companies, we are satisfied by the operation of the convention centre as set out under the project agreement. We will monitor the agreement for the contract's 25-year duration. The State has acquired a dedicated convention centre that is being operated by the PPP company to international standards. It has won numerous awards for its operation and exceeded expectations in terms of international delegate numbers. We have been making the payments under the contractual agreement. Some relate to the capital cost of the facility, which the State owns, and the rest relates to the unitary charge.

The State recognised from the outset that the lack of a dedicated convention centre was disadvantaging the State in terms of business commercial tourism. Fáilte Ireland has identified that €1,275 per person is the wider economic benefit that accrues from international delegates attending. Some 110,000 international delegates have attended the convention centre to date. Under the project agreement, the operators of the convention centre have targets to achieve annually in that regard. We will work through that project agreement.

There has been a share ownership change in respect of the centre, but it has no impact on the centre's operation. We are the State body that will consent to that change. We were advised of it today or yesterday. We will work through a process with our advisers on the matter.