Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of public servants in his Department who are employed full-time on the assessment, procurement, project management and delivery of infrastructure projects covered by the public capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12865/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government considered redeploying public servants to assist with the procurement and project management of infrastructure projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12877/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the fact that the public capital programme is equivalent to 7.5% of GNP or some 21% of total Government spending, he is satisfied that enough public servants in his Department are working in a full time capacity on infrastructure projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12889/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the names of persons in the private sector who have met with or advised him or his predecessors over the past seven years in any capacity on infrastructure projects to be supported by public expenditure; the details of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12899/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 to 125, inclusive, together.

My Department has not been responsible for overseeing any infrastructure programmes, under the public capital programme or otherwise, over the past seven years. The question of meetings or advice in relation to such projects does not, therefore, arise.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 126: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a broad description of each capital project considered by his Department over the past five years; when each project was first considered; when each project will be procured; when each will be completed; if each project will be part-financed by user charges; the number of public servants currently employed in the delivery of each project; the names of the consultants and advisers used to date in respect of each project; the titles of the consultancy reports carried out or in progress; the expenditure to date on each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12904/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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While my Department has no projects under the public capital programme and has no infrastructure projects in hand, it has had, over the past five years to end 2004, a capital budget allocation of €20.4 million. These funds were used to purchase official residences as well as to provide for major maintenance, refurbishment, up-grading and fitting out at Irish diplomatic missions throughout the world. Details of all projects, including capital projects, which are funded under Ireland's official development programme, are outlined in Development Co-operation Ireland's annual reports. The reports are available in the Oireachtas Library. I will be happy to arrange to have copies transmitted to the Deputy, if so required.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide a broad description of each of a number of capital projects (details supplied); when each project was first considered; when each project will be procured; when each will be completed; if each project will be part-financed by user charges; the number of public servants currently employed in the delivery of each project; the names of the consultants and advisers used to date in respect of each project; the titles of the consultancy reports carried out or in progress; the expenditure to date on each project. [12548/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of public servants in his Department who are employed full-time on the assessment, procurement, project management and delivery of infrastructure projects covered by the public capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12866/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the Government considered redeploying public servants to assist with the procurement and project management of infrastructure projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12878/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if, in view of the fact that the public capital programme is equivalent to 7.5% of GNP or some 21% of total Government spending, he is satisfied that enough public servants in his Department are working in a full-time capacity on infrastructure projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12890/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide a broad description of each capital project considered by his Department over the past five years; when each project was first considered; when each project will be procured; when each will be completed; if each project will be part-financed by user charges; the number of public servants currently employed in the delivery of each project; the names of the consultants and advisers used to date in respect of each project; the titles of the consultancy reports carried out or in progress; the expenditure to date on each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13152/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 133 to 136, inclusive, together.

In February 2002 the Government approved, in principle, the capital redevelopment of the national theatre to provide enhanced premises and facilities. The OPW has been engaged in an examination of possible locations for the redevelopment of the Abbey. It is only when a suitable site is acquired and details of the parameters of the project are determined, including design and any partnership with the private sector etc. that a timeframe for completion, consultants, numbers of public servants involved, costs and financing arrangements may be known. The OPW has commissioned two external consultancies in relation to the Abbey, a report by Theatreplan Ltd, commissioned in July 2001, and the National Theatre-Coláiste Mhuire site assessment by Gilroy McMahon Architects, commissioned in February 2005. The costs of the studies have been incurred by the OPW.

The space and accommodation comprising the National Concert Hall is deficient in a number of important aspects most notably the absence of a self-contained auditorium for performances before smaller audiences and totally inadequate backstage facilities. In recognition of these deficiencies, the programme for Government includes a commitment to the long-term strategic development of the National Concert Hall. A number of possible locations were examined by OPW for the National Concert Hall in recent years. Consideration is being given to the possibility of redeveloping the Earlsfort Terrace site on its vacation by UCD. The elements of the National Concert Hall project remain under discussion. When these are finalised, Government approval will be sought. Two firms of consultants have been engaged by the OPW to draw up and inform a feasibility study on the Earlsfort Terrace site. They are Hopkins Architects, which was paid a total of €41,803.48 to produce a report, National Concert Hall, Dublin — Feasibility Study, in March 2004, and Carr and Angier, which was paid a total of €9,057.90 to produce a report, Outline Brief and Schedule of Accommodation, in 2002. The total fees paid to consultants for the above was €50,861.38.

In June 2003, the Government agreed, in principle, to the provision of a national conference centre in Dublin through an open competitive procurement process. The project is being procured as a public private partnership by the Office of Public Works under the direction of the steering group chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. In November 2003, the OPW published a notice inviting expressions of interest in the provision of a national conference centre in the Dublin area on a site to be provided by the interested party with an expected minimum delegate capacity of the order of 2,000. Four submissions were received and following detailed evaluation, three candidates were short-listed to proceed to the next stage of the competition and issued with invitations to tender for the project. One having withdrawn, the competition is proceeding on the basis of two tenderers.

Allowing sufficient time for engagement with the tenderers, it is hoped that a provisional preferred tenderer will be selected by mid-year, with the award of the contract, subject to Government approval, following later. The provision of the national conference centre project is being pursued under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain arrangement. It is intended that financing details will be addressed in the tenders. Staffing and the engagement of consultants associated with the project are matters for the Office of Public Works and others advising on the project, such as the National Development Finance Agency and Fáilte Ireland. In addition to my Department, the Office of Public Works, the Department of Finance and Fáilte Ireland are represented on the national conference centre steering group. These bodies, together with the NDFA, are also represented on the project team, which is chaired by the Office of Public Works. No specific expenditure has been incurred by my Department on the current project.

The proposal to provide a national stadium arose from recommendations made in a feasibility study, A Stadium for a New Century, which was commissioned in 1998 and concluded in 1999. In 2000, the Government decided to develop a national stadium at Abbotstown. Subsequently, in January 2004, the Government decided not to proceed with the proposal to provide a national stadium at Abbotstown but instead to support the redevelopment of the stadium at Lansdowne Road. The current project involves the redevelopment of the IRFU-owned stadium at Lansdowne Road into a 50,000 seat stadium to accommodate rugby, soccer and Gaelic games. The procurement of a stadium at Lansdowne Road will be undertaken by the Lansdowne Road stadium development company, once planning permission is secured. It is intended that an application for planning permission will be lodged before the end of the year. It is estimated that the construction of the stadium will take 29 months. The IRFU and the FAI will together contribute at least 34% of the cost of the project —€101 million — and these funds will be raised by the forward selling of premium seats.

No public servants are directly involved in the delivery of the project. However between the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Department of Finance and the OPW, there are up to 12 people who have a degree of involvement in the delivery of the project at this time. The OPW has provided consultancy and advisory services throughout the project. To date, capital expenditure of €1.3 million has been incurred on the project to develop the Lansdowne Road stadium.

The proposal to provide a sports campus at Abbotstown arose from recommendations made in a feasibility study, A Stadium for a New Century, which was commissioned in 1998 and concluded in 1999. In January 2004 the Government reaffirmed its decision to develop a sports campus at Abbotstown. The development control plan for a sports campus at Abbotstown includes provision for a range of sports facilities, including training, medical and administrative facilities on a phased delivery basis over a period of years. The Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism will submit the plan to Government shortly. Construction work on phase one of the project is expected to take 24 to 30 months to complete. The operation of the campus will involve an economic user charge for facilities. There are two public servants on secondment directly involved in the delivery of the project. In addition, there are 12 people in the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Department of Finance and the OPW, who have a degree of involvement in the delivery of the project at this time. The OPW has provided consultancy and advisory services to the Department of Arts Sport and Tourism throughout the project.

Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Ltd commissioned Davis Langdon PKS to assist in the preparation of a development and control plan for the sports campus at Abbotstown. The title of the report was "Training to Win — Development Control Plan". Other than an earlier expenditure of €3 million, which was spent on the Abbotstown sports campus site, there has been no additional capital expenditure on the Abbotstown sports campus project. The deployment of resources, including human resources, is made by my Department on the basis of priority, in line with overall Government and departmental objectives and I am satisfied that adequate staff resources are currently deployed to deal with the projects in question.

In the time available and given the number of projects involved, it has not been possible to provide a response on all capital projects considered in the arts, sport and tourism areas over the past five years. However, if there are specific projects in relation to which the Deputy would like information, I will be happy to provide details.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his estimate of the capital requirement of his Department and its agencies over the next ten years; and the projects in excess of €20 million that may be procured during this period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12549/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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In his budget speech of 3 December 2003, the Minister for Finance announced a major change in the financial treatment of capital spending through the introduction of rolling five-year multi-annual envelopes for all investment areas. When introduced, one of the aims of the multi-annual capital investment framework was to maintain the aggregate envelope at close to 5% of GNP.

Under this multi-annual investment framework, the total capital envelope available to my ministerial Vote group over the five-year period from 2005 to 2009 is as follows:

It would not be appropriate to set out at this time possible capital allocations to my Department beyond the five years of the existing envelope.

Those projects in excess of €20 million that are within this framework are the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road and the national conference centre. Other major projects which will fall to be considered for inclusion within my Department's five-year capital envelope in the future are the national theatre, the National Concert Hall and a sports campus at Abbotstown. Two further projects for the redevelopment of the Curragh and Leopardstown racecourses are currently being considered by Horse Racing Ireland.