The Government has agreed that expressions of interest be invited by way of public invitation from the private sector in participating, on the basis of a public private partnership, PPP, in the capital redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre in and-or around the vicinity of the site of the existing theatre.
Expressions of interest from the private sector will now be invited on the basis that any redevelopment requires: a signature development, representative of a national theatre in the 21st century; an appropriate civic setting to form part of the overall urban regeneration represented by the O'Connell Street integrated area plan and north-east inner city plan; the redevelopment must meet the specified accommodation requirements of the theatre in terms of size and configuration; the redevelopment must embrace the Abbey and Peacock theatres and satisfactorily address the current problems of the two theatres; the facilities available to the national theatre must at all times be consistent with the operational needs of the theatre and with the requirement to provide a top-quality experience to audiences.
However, subject to the above, the design may include the provision of additional elements, facilities or functions. It will fall to the relevant private sector developer to assess the feasibility and financial implications of the property acquisition required, planning issues likely to arise etc., and to factor these risks into the final proposal.
The Office of Public Works, in close collaboration with my Department and with the national theatre, will shortly seek tenders for the provision of expert advice on the detailed preparation of this public invitation. At this stage it would be premature to speculate on the likely commencement date and projected overall cost.