Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the status of the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall integrating the former University College Dublin site on Earlsfort Terrace; when he expects the international design competition to be put to tender; the estimated cost of the redevelopment of this site; the amount of this funding that will be supplied by the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4774/08]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the proposed refurbishment of the National Concert Hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4936/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 136 together.

As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 19323/07 of 5th July 2007, the Government has decided to redevelop the National Concert Hall which will incorporate a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 2,000 patrons, the existing auditorium will be retained as a rehearsal hall and 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 artists at reasonable ticket prices, and will meet the requirement for universal access. It is envisaged that the Earlsfort Terrace buildings will be re-united with the Iveagh Gardens, facilitating increased public access, and new public rooms, cafes and restaurants would over-look the Gardens and the city.

Work is advancing well on the project. The form of the PPP competition has been agreed and competition documentation, including the preparation of the Public Service Benchmark, is being currently finalised. The competition will be underway within a number of months with a view to contracts being signed in 2009. The redeveloped National Concert Hall will be procured through a Design/Build/Finance /Maintain PPP contract. There will not be a separate competition for the design element; it will be part of the overall competition.

As stated in my reply to question 25604/07 of 25th October 2007, I am not in a position to give figures at this stage as to the total cost of the project. 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.

I look forward to this project progressing speedily through the PPP process so that Dublin will have a Concert Hall which will be on a par with leading concert halls in capital cities throughout Europe, and which will enable the current and expanding market demand for musical entertainment to be met.