John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

On Thursday 13 April 2006, I announced that the Government had designated the Earlsfort Terrace site as the location of the new National Concert Hall. The Government also conveyed approval to finalise the purchase of the site from the UCD authorities as soon as possible.

Contracts for the purchase of the interest of University College Dublin in the Earlsfort Terrace site were executed on 20 September 2006. As UCD will be vacating the site on a phased basis, a leaseback arrangement will be put in place until late 2007, by which time the college will have fully vacated the premises.

The procurement of a new National Concert Hall will be progressed on a public private partnership basis, in accordance with the guidelines on public capital projects, subject to the Minister for Finance and I being satisfied with the outcome of an evaluation of the economic benefits of the project. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the evaluation has been completed and is being considered by officials in my Department and in the Department of Finance. Work on finalising the PPP paperwork and process is continuing.

I have asked my Department to establish a steering committee to oversee the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall and requested the Secretary General of my Department to chair this committee.

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