John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Deenihan will be aware that this is a public private partnership project and it would not be possible for me to give him figures. Any figures which I could supply would be commercially sensitive. The tendering process will not be completed until 20 May. The Department must then select the provisional preferred tenderer. The question of the awarding of the contract must be put before the Government. It would be premature and pre-emptive of me to discuss figures.

With regard to the length of time and with the greatest of respect, the issue of a national conference centre has been discussed in this country for more than 20 years. More progress has been made in recent years than in the previous 20.

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