andMr. Begley asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to commence work on the rearrangement and reconstruction of the Dáil restaurant and bars.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dáil Restaurant and Bars.
10.
Proposals for the rearrangement and reconstruction of the Dáil restaurant and bars prepared by the Office of Public Works have now to be considered by the Joint Restaurant Committee. It is not possible to say at this stage when work will start.
Would the Minister care to put an end to the rumour circulating that there will be no repairs carried out for three to four years? May I repeat the question? I am asking if the Minister would put an end to the rumour circulating around the House that it will take three or four years to have these repairs carried out?
I have not heard the rumours at all.
There is an explanation for that.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister tell us if it is proposed to restore the bars and so on as they were prior to the fire or whether it is proposed to replan or redesign them?
The Minister has answered that question, that plans have been submitted to the restaurant committee. It should be left at that.
Plans have been prepared by the office.
Give the Minister a chance.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
Plans have been made by the Office of Public Works incorporating the reorganisation of the kitchen and dining areas and the restaurant and improvement of the bar facilities. The plan has now to be considered by the Leinster House authorities. Once the proposals are agreed, sanction will have to be obtained for the expenditure involved, which is likely to be of the order of £150,000.
(Cavan-Monaghan): One hundred and fifty thousand pounds.
Could the Minister tell the House when that plan was submitted to the authorities of Leinster House?
I have not that information.
Is the Minister aware of the considerable inconvenience to Members and their friends and visitors to this House——
And the press.
——and the press, from the lack of this facility? Can the Minister tell us how these plans were prepared, how long they are prepared and why the restaurant committee are not meeting to consider them?
That is getting into unnecessary detail. The answer is adequate.
We might leave the gate closed.
Plans have been prepared by my Department and submitted to the Joint Restaurant Committee. It is up to them to approve of the plans and then they will carry out the restoration.
Can the Minister say when the Joint Restaurant Committee will meet to consider this?
The Minister is not responsible for the restaurant committee.
I have no responsibility for that.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Might I ask the Minister, since I gather from the Minister's reply that revised plans have been prepared and submitted to the restaurant committee, at whose request were these plans prepared? Were the plans prepared on the initiative of the Office of Public Works or at the request of the committee?
The Office of Public Works.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Office of Public Works. Does it follow, therefore, that the Office of Public Works are now suggesting to the committee that this elaborate reconstruction should be gone ahead with?
The decision to do that——
(Interruptions.)
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister is going to answer the Question.