Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the provisional preferred tenderer has been appointed as preferred tenderer for the provision of the National Conference Centre; the timeframe for the remaining stages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26677/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Engagement between the Contracting Authority, the Office of Public Works, and the Provisional Preferred Tenderer, Spencer Dock International Conference Centre Ltd, in accordance with the competition process, is continuing. As I previously informed the House, most recently on 31 May last, these negotiations are detailed and complex and, by their nature, time consuming. Nevertheless, I am assured that the Contracting Authority is pressing to have them concluded as soon as possible.

Assuming that these negotiations prove successful, the next step will be the appointment of the Provisional Preferred Tenderer as Preferred Tenderer. During the Preferred Tenderer phase, the Preferred Tenderer will develop and provide the full range of project documents, which will require review and approval by the Contracting Authority. I look forward to the timely completion of the next stages and hope to be in a position to bring the matter to Government for final decision in the coming months.

Subject to the successful completion of the remaining stages of the procurement process and assuming no unexpected developments, I would hope that construction of the National Conference Centre would begin next year and that the Centre would be operational during 2009.