Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will report on the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25604/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 48 together.

The position, as stated in my reply of 5th July 2007 to Parliamentary Question No.18, is that the redeveloped Concert Hall will incorporate a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 2,000 patrons, the existing auditorium, which will be retained as a rehearsal hall and a mid-scale public performance space, and a smaller flexible hall. This three-hall configuration will enable the National Concert Hall to provide for public demand including the staging of key performances by top-class world artistes at reasonable ticket prices. The redeveloped Concert Hall will meet the requirement for universal access. Furthermore, the proposal incorporates easy access for large articulated trucks transporting orchestral and concert equipment. It is envisaged that the Earlsfort Terrace buildings would be re-united with the Iveagh Gardens, facilitating increased public access. New public rooms, cafes and restaurants would over-look the Gardens and the city. The new facility, when constructed, will enable the National Concert Hall to provide for public demand including the staging of key performances by top-class world artistes at reasonable ticket prices.

The project is overseen by an Interagency Steering Committee. The task of this committee is to oversee the procurement, negotiation and construction phases of the design/build/finance and maintain PPP for the redevelopment of the Hall, in compliance with relevant Department of Finance Guidelines and in adherence to the terms of the Government Decisions germane to the project. The Committee is also charged with realising the vision set for the project.

I am not in a position to give figures at this stage as to the total cost. The actual total cost associated with the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall will depend on the terms of the contract which will be placed for this PPP project. That cost will be determined as a result of the PPP competition. Clearly in the compilation of the Public Sector Benchmark (PSB), against which all PPP bids will be assessed, an element will be built in for construction costs. That PSB and its component parts (of which construction costs is only one) has to remain confidential, of course, to protect the integrity of the PPP competition.