asked the Minister for Finance when the Kennedy Concert Hall Committee last met; when it will next meet; and if he will state the current position in relation to plans for the hall.
9.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kennedy Memorial Hall.
8.
asked the Minister for Finance if, in the event of the original plan of the Kennedy Memorial Hall being adhered to and two halls, one large and one small, being incorporated in the proposed structure, he will arrange to have the small hall named after the late Count John McCormack.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose taking Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together. The Kennedy Memorial Hall All-Party Committee last met on 21st May, 1971.
I hope to consult the Government in regard to the proposed hall in the near future and do not expect to call a meeting of the committee before then. It would be premature to consider matters such as the naming of a section of the proposed structure in anticipation of the Government's decision.
When the Minister says "in the near future" will it be within the next year? I had a question down about this some time ago and the Minister made the same reply.
Deputy Moore had a question down, to which I made a similar reply. I would expect that it would certainly be within the next year.
May I ask the Minister if he would consider making part of the site available for housing? Part of the site will not be needed even if a hall is built there. It would be an ideal housing site.
The question of housing and priorities in regard to public capital expenditure would be very relevant matters in the consideration to be given to this by the Government. If a decision were made not to go ahead with the project, of course, the question of housing or any other use of the site would be considered but, if I understand Deputy Moore's question aright, he is saying that even if it does go ahead there would be room for housing.
That is right.
I am not aware of that but I will look into it.
Would the Minister say how much has been spent to date on this project?
I could not say offhand.
Would the Minister be able to give us that information?
Not offhand.
I think it was at the Irish Actors Equity lunch recently that the Minister expressed the desire to have some other type of hall built. Could he expand on that?
No, I did not.
The Minister did, somewhere.
I did not talk about building any other type of hall.
The Minister did, indeed.
No.