John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

Tenders for the provision of a national conference centre in the Dublin area were received from two consortia by the Office of Public Works on 20 May last, the deadline for the receipt of tenders. The rigorous assessment and evaluation of these tenders has now been completed and the report of the evaluation panel submitted to the national conference centre steering group. I expect a provisional preferred tenderer to be designated shortly. Subject to the outcome of the negotiations that will follow designation of the provisional preferred tenderer, it is envisaged that a decision on the award of the contract will be brought to Government at the earliest opportunity in 2006.

In the meantime, the Deputy will appreciate that I am constrained in what I can say at this stage in the process, and while I share the frustration of the House at the complex and exacting procedures involved, I am obliged not to jeopardise the competition and its successful conclusion by any departure from the strict rules and procedures involved.

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