Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

The issue of the provision of a national conference centre has been dragging on since 1994. It is important that a firm commitment is given to make a decision at the very least in 2005. It is estimated that Dublin is losing at least €50 million revenue every year because of the lack of a national conference centre and approximately 30,000 visitors, not including repeat visitors, are being lost to the country. Only 1% of the 4,000 international conferences held in Europe come to Ireland owing to the lack of a national conference centre in Dublin.

Will there be an onus on the contractor to commence the project immediately and is there an opt-out clause in the contract? What is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the project or will the costs be borne in total by the successful tenderer? What will be the ongoing running costs of the centre to the Exchequer?

See this speech in context