Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 180 of 17 May 2005 and 221 and 222 of 24 May 2005, when the company entered into non-binding heads of agreement with the consortium; the terms of the said agreement; the lands that were included or referred to as being the subject of said agreement giving details of area and location; the price or indicative value mentioned in respect of said lands; the details of the consortium involved; the explanation given for the fact that the company only sought ministerial approval for the arrangement after the heads of agreement had been completed and the matter had been raised in Dáil Éireann; the explanation given for the fact that the company had dealt exclusively with one private consortium concerning this matter and had failed to give any opportunity to others to tender or to be considered for any such arrangement; and the further or complementary commercial development that was agreed in the arrangement with the private consortium, apart from the national conference centre. [18317/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 221 and 222 on 24 May 2005, in which I stated that, on 18 May the Department received a letter from Dublin Port Company requesting ministerial approval for its proposal to enter into an arrangement with a consortium, as detailed in draft heads of terms attached to the letter. The company states that the proposal provides that, in the event that the consortium is successful in its bid for the development of the national conference centre and appropriate planning and other consent issue in respect of the national conference centre, Dublin Port Company will make a site available in order to facilitate the development of the centre, together with further and complementary commercial development.

Dublin Port Company has also informed the Department that the entirely unsolicited approach to it by a consortium bidding for the national conference centre was of a unique nature and that had alternative proposals been received, they would have been similarly considered.

As indicated in my reply on 18 May, the company's letter is being considered by the Department at present and a decision will be made in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the matter while the company's request is under consideration.