John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

As I previously informed the House on a number of occasions, I was authorised by Government to invite expressions of interest by way of public invitation from the private sector in participating, on the basis of a PPP, in the capital redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre in and-or around the vicinity of the site of the existing theatre.

The accommodation brief for the new theatre, which was drawn up in consultation with and agreed by the Abbey board, specified the following requirements: to be a signature development, representative of a national theatre in the 21st century; to be in an appropriate civic setting and form part of the overall urban regeneration represented by the O'Connell Street integrated area plan and north-east inner city plan; three significant enlarged auditoria, Abbey, Peacock and a third multipurpose space; a dedicated education and outreach facility; a publicly accessible archive; a restaurant-bar; improved public areas; disabled access for audiences and artists; and best practice theatre production facilities.

My preference would have been to redevelop the theatre at its present location. However, taking into consideration the requirements which I have outlined, when it became apparent that costly additions to the existing footprint and that the timeframe for the acquisition of the additional properties necessary to render the existing location suitable was indeterminate, I arranged for a trawl of other available city centre locations. That trawl has not yet reached a conclusion.

As I previously informed the House, late last year a site was identified at Coláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square which it appeared might, with an adjacent building, have provided the necessary footprint to meet the accommodation requirements of the redeveloped Abbey Theatre. Unfortunately, the owner of the adjacent premises was not prepared to sell them to the State for what my advisers considered a fair market price. In the circumstances, there was no option but to withdraw from the negotiations. The Office of Public Works has recently confirmed to me that the Coláiste Mhuire site on its own is not an option.

The former Carlton cinema site was also in the frame as a possibility. I am aware there was a High Court judgment with regard to the compulsory purchase order on this site. However, it is for the parties to that judgment, which do not include my Department or the Office of Public Works, to evaluate the implications of the judgment. I understand that a judicial review on the decision of Dublin City Council's agreement with the selected developer of the site is also outstanding. Until such time as all legal issues, to which neither my Department nor the OPW is party, are resolved, it would be premature for my Department of the OPW to engage in negotiations on the Carlton site. I assure the Deputy that I view redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at this location as a real option which I intend to explore further as soon as issues around the CPO have been resolved.

Recently the Dublin Docklands Development Authority offered a site at George's Dock and I have asked the OPW to explore the options for this site with the DDDA without a commitment on either side. Exploratory discussions are ongoing.

I assure the Deputy of my unrelenting efforts to identify a suitable location and I am in constant contact with the Office of Public Works to that end. I remain confident that a suitable site will be identified and acquired in due course.

See this speech in context