Seanad debates
Thursday, 17 October 2002
Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage.
The Minister dealt with various aspects of the legislation, although I have a copy of the Bill in front of me. I would prefer to know more about the project itself and what is being achieved. What are the projections for the numbers who will eventually be directly employed in research? I am not talking about the job creation we hope will flow from this project when the companies start to move in and the various properties in the Liberties-Thomas Street area are done up under public-private partnerships to house various tenants. At what stage will the Office of Public Works divest itself of those properties? Will it be as a result of this legislation? There is a reference to this in the Bill. They will then become the properties of Digital Hub, but are they ultimately still the property of the State? What kind of arrangement will operate when the public-private partnership is finished? I understand the refurbishment could cost up to €130 million, although the Minister may correct me if I am wrong. Who will actually own the properties? Will the State always have a stake in them? Should anything go wrong in years to come, would they become an asset of the State?
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