Shane McEntee (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the proposed national conference centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5708/07]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the development of the national conference centre on Spencer Dock; if a date has been set for the construction of the centre to begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5552/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 33 together.

As I have informed the House, most recently on 30 November, 2006, Spencer Dock International Conference Centre Consortium has been appointed Preferred Tenderer for the provision of a National Conference Centre in Dublin.

As the Deputies are aware, the Centre is being procured under a Public Private Partnership process under the auspices of the Office of Public Works — the Contracting Authority. During the Preferred Tenderer phase the Consortium is required to develop and provide the full range of project documents for review and approval by the Contracting Authority. The current expectation is that the contract will, subject to Government Decision, be awarded within the coming weeks. It is envisaged that site enabling and related works in preparation for construction would commence shortly thereafter and that the Centre would be operational some 40 months thereafter.

I am delighted that delivery of another major commitment in the Programme for Government may now be about to become a reality.

On the basis of consultations undertaken earlier by my Department and research reviewed, I am totally convinced of the need for a modern, dedicated National Conference Centre if Ireland is to realise its full potential in the hugely valuable international conference market. According to a number of independent estimates, the National Conference Centre, when fully operational, is expected to generate additional foreign revenue earnings of between €25m and €50m per year.