Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 148: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress that has been made in the assessment of the General Post Office complex as a feasible location for the redeveloped national theatre; the timescale that is envisaged for the assessment of this alternative site; when a report will be submitted to him on the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8345/10]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 148 together.

The development of a new national theatre project is a complex undertaking. There are a myriad of technical, procedural and legal factors to address in making progress on it. The successful delivery of this project is a priority for my Department and the Government in the renewed programme for Government and national development plan. A considerable amount of technical, legal and financial due diligence was undertaken since the original announcement of the project to ensure the project was progressed and the best solution possible was put in place.

In that regard, the Office of Public Works, my Department and the Abbey Theatre, with relevant external technical input, has commenced an assessment of the GPO complex to ascertain if it is a feasible location for the redeveloped national theatre. As I indicated previously, I have good information available to me which indicates that it is a feasible location. While I do not envisage any difficulties in achieving this outcome, the matter must be examined independently by the Office of Public Works.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and An Post are also engaged in the process and a number of meetings have been held to date under the chairmanship of a senior official from my Department. As indicated, many technical issues involved in such an assessment but I wish to bring the report to Government quickly. I believe this move can be achieved. It is potentially a wonderful location and in terms of O'Connell Street and central Dublin it could be a fantastic outcome.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I raised this matter relatively recently but it was the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, who responded to the question and I wanted to discuss it with the Minister again. I have no problem with relocating the Abbey Theatre to the GPO. It is probably a very good location but why is it moving from Abbey Street? We are losing the eponymous value of having the Abbey Theatre in Abbey Street. It is an internationally renowned name. Regardless of where one goes in the world, those in theatre know about the Abbey Theatre. Will moving it from Abbey Street undermine its value? What was the original thinking in moving it? Was it because of the disruption the building works would cause? We have other theatres which could fill the gap during the construction stage. What was behind the thinking that the Abbey Theatre had to move from its current location?

One of the frustrating aspects of this issue is that it has been going on for years. Is the move to the GPO just another red herring to postpone a decision? The Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, said the money would not be wasted and that all the research done on the site in the Docklands was not site specific but I do not believe that. This was a waterside site down in the docks. This was a refurbishment site. In terms of going back to the drawing board, is there any timescale for this project and is it still proposed to do it by way of a public private partnership? Does the Minister have any idea when it will start? Will it start during the lifetime of this Government, if the Minister knows how long that will be?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It will have to if it is to meet the target date because it will very much form part of the 2016 celebrations. We have an obvious target date.

The main reason for moving it, and I have looked at many aspects of it, is the type of training facilities a modern national theatre needs. It needs a minimum of two theatres for training etc. as well as all the ancillary facilities. The specification was done with the Abbey Theatre, benchmarked internationally and completed. That is easily transferable from the site on the quays to the GPO because the specification does not change. That is why we can do a quick examination at the GPO to see if this fits, so to speak. As I said to the Deputy, I had a lot of work done on this and I gave that specification. I was asked about it, somebody had a look at it and it does work. The original reason was that the current site does not have the physical capacity for all the modern facilities required by a national theatre.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is there any property available in any area?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It was felt strongly by those in the Abbey Theatre that they would like to move to a greenfield site or a new large site that affords a fresh start with all of the necessary facilities. Ironically, the GPO has that because there is only the shell at the front and the side; the rest of it is an enormous space that can be made available and demolished. It is a significant space. It was not a ministerial or a Government decision that it should move. A collective view was taken by the board members of the Abbey, and I believe everyone involved, that for a national theatre its future could not be achieved to the level they wanted in its current site.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I had the same question regarding the timing of the project and how long it is likely to take. I do not expect the Minister to have the figure to hand today but how much has the research, providing the specification and so on cost to date?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I had a figure; I thought I gave it on the last occasion. It was not-----

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It was €220,000.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Yes. It was not overly significant and as I said, the specification and everything else has been agreed, and that was scaled. There was an enormous amount of changes, argument and debate about scale, size, what was and was not required etc. and all of that has been completed. At this point I would hope to have this report very quickly. I want it. I have asked the Office of Public Works to complete it and we can make a decision. I would like to go to Government with this to finalise it.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Do any of the theatre people have any strong opposing views in terms of the GPO site? My personal view is that it is probably a very good site and is a positive move but some theatre people might have a slightly different view on that.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The general view of people in the Abbey Theatre comes back to what Deputy Mitchell said. The bottom line is that they want a new theatre with all the modern facilities, and they want it done. If it is to be done in the GPO I have had no huge objection expressed to me about. There is a rationale for it and the bottom line is that we should get on with it and build it because we have been talking about it for so long. All of the issues that arose in the past 12 months regarding the Dublin Docklands site were beginning to make it even more impossible. To be honest, I doubt if it ever would have happened at that location.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is An Post open to the idea of moving out of that site? Also, a site like that in the middle of O'Connell Street should not be used just for night time events. It must have a day time purpose-----

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Absolutely.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

-----such as matinees and so on but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that we could have a post office on the site as well.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That would be the intention, Deputy.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is An Post happy to vacate or-----

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have not had a negative view expressed to me in discussions. It is a State company. I have no doubt that a nostalgic view would be taken with regard to the GPO but we must make the right decision for the country. I believe everyone would accept there is no need to have a post office of that scale in the middle of O'Connell Street but historically it has a role in that location. I agree with the Deputy that it must have facilities that will be open day and night, with many people passing through and much activity taking place. It needs to be part of a café society and so on. All of that should fill part of a new facility.