Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Last autumn the Government decided to proceed with the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at George's Dock on a build, finance and maintain basis. Arising from the Government decision, an interagency steering committee was set up to oversee the project. The committee is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives of the National Development Finance Agency, the Office of Public Works, the Abbey Theatre and the Dublin Docklands Development Agency.

The steering group has met three times and is due to meet again on 20 July. A process auditor has been appointed, in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines. At its first meeting in December 2006, the committee decided the Office of Public Works should prepare the documentation necessary for holding an international design competition for the new Abbey Theatre.

A project team, chaired by the Office of Public Works and representative of the same agencies as the steering group, with the exception of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, has also been set up and is currently overseeing the arrangements for holding the international design competition. The OPW has asked the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, RIAI, to organise the competition. The RIAI, with the assistance of the OPW, is in the process of drafting the competition regulations. The technical documentation for the competition must be carefully specified. A jury is also being set up to select the winning design. The jury will have representatives from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the OPW, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, the Arts Council, the Abbey Theatre and some international figures in the architectural and theatre worlds.

Discussions are currently ongoing between the Abbey and the OPW on the detailed accommodation brief for the new theatre. In the meantime, the OPW is working on the preliminary drafting of output specifications. It is also liaising with the NDFA on assembling technical advisor teams, with a view to progressing the project as much as possible while the design competition is being held.

The NDFA has recently appointed legal advisers arising from a market exercise. When a winning design has been chosen the NDFA will oversee the procurement process in accordance with PPP guidelines.

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