Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

I have a few questions on the cost to the Exchequer over the 25-year period before the facility is handed back to the taxpayer. The Minister said it would cost €380 million. Is there a fee on the handover or does it come back automatically without a fee? Will the Minister confirm the date the centre is supposed to be up and running?

I welcome progress on this issue. It is a question I have asked at almost every Question Time for the past five years. I recognise the work done by the Ceann Comhairle in progressing the project when he was Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. It is a very important project. Barcelona has four conference centres and we saw what a conference centre did for Birmingham. It will provide a major boost to the economy of Dublin city.

In the proposal for the Shannon region there is a recommendation, supported by the Irish Hotels Federation, that the Government consider a similar conference centre in the Shannon region, otherwise all business tourism would come into Dublin and the centre in this city would take business tourism away from other parts of the country. Will the Minister comment on that?

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