Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Conway-Walsh asked about the conference centre performance. The conference centre has attracted something like 157,000 foreign delegations to Ireland, boosting the economy by approximately €210 million. International conference delegates attending conferences generally represent high-value business, with each delegate currently estimated to carry a tourism value of €1,500. The data comes from Fáilte Ireland. While the money may not be coming in as hard cash, it is coming in to the economy through the tourism and business it generates in Dublin. Based on future targets, it is expected that €940 million in tourism revenue will accrue to Ireland as a result of having the conference centre in place for events.

It is not the amount one gets from the punter going in the door but the activity in the general economy in Dublin, in the hotels, restaurants and shops that is generating revenue. I cannot say that we are paying out so much in rent or taking in so much in revenue. The generator in this respect that Fáilte Ireland has come up with is that it is a huge investment but it is also delivering a huge dividend to the capital. I wish we had a few more of them around the country.