Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

Regarding Media Lab Europe, when I became aware through the Committee of Public Accounts that information was not forthcoming to the committee from the liquidator, I wrote a letter and the matter was followed up by Brendan Tuohy, the Secretary General of the Department. I am not sure if the information has yet been given to the Committee of Public Accounts but all information on this matter should be made available to it and I support the efforts to get that information.

Regarding the hub strategy, Deputy Broughan is correct in stating that the two successful tenderers are Manor Park Homebuilders Ltd. and P. Elliott & Company. They must now approach the Dublin City Council and get planning permission. I have no idea what proportion of the site will be residential or commercial. There was informal contact from the DHDA in the earlier stages of this process to ascertain what would be broadly acceptable. The project cannot be done without the full co-operation and assistance of the city council, which will be conscious of the need to balance the commercial and especially the residential element in that area, because apart from the digital cluster, one of the major aims is to renew that element from a living point of view.

Regarding the general strategy for the hub, much good work has been done. The hub has been very successful in attracting companies and creating employment. It has been particularly successful with regard to the Liberties learning initiative, with which Deputy Broughan is familiar, and the education work being done. Over the past 12 months there was a particular focus on getting the developer competition finished and out of the way, and there will now be a greater focus on the central work of the hub itself. I am currently awaiting a business plan from the hub which will outline that strategy over the next four or five years. Part of it will be the development of the new digital research centre, about which I hope we can make a formal announcement in the very near future.

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