Brian Cowen
Question:12 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if the Government has made a final decision on the location of the national conference centre in Dublin. [8391/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Conference Centre.
Peadar Clohessy
Question:32 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the present position regarding the proposed national conference centre; whether consideration is being given to the inclusion of a gambling casino in such a centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8375/95]
Tony Killeen
Question:63 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the final decision of the Government on the location of the national conference centre in Dublin. [8462/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 32 and 63 together.
One of my main priorities is to ensure that Ireland has a state of the art national conference centre within the next few years.
ERDF moneys have been set aside in the Tourism Operational Programme 1994-99 for the establishment of a large dedicated conference centre capable of handling 2,000 delegates. I am currently considering all aspects of the national conference centre, including the location and the financial implications, and I will be bringing my views on this to Government shortly.
In view of the fact that there is a proposal for a conference centre in the Shannon region for which planning permission has been received, and the strong indications that tourism revenue in Dublin is growing rapidly as opposed to the position in the southwest, the mid-west and the west, will the Minister consider locating the conference centre, and perhaps other tourist attractions of that nature, in one of those areas?
No. The Programme for Government is specific on this. The national conference centre is to be located in Dublin and I have already indicated to my Department that its establishment is one of my main priorities. Such a centre could be worth approximately £30 million per year and it is a project with which we must press ahead quickly.
Is the Minister saying that the project proposed in the Shannon area will not receive Government support for European funding?
I am saying that the national conference centre will be sited in Dublin.
Why? With modern communications and the existence of an international airport in the mid-west region, surely there is no necessity for a national conference centre to be located in Dublin, which is already heavily overpopulated. In his reply to the three questions which he took together, why did the Minister not respond to the content of Question No. 32 which relates to whether consideration is being given to the inclusion of a gambling casino in the proposed national conference centre?
Obviously Deputy Molloy has read all three questions.
I put down Question No. 32.
The Programme for Government is the agreed plan for Government to site a national conference centre in Dublin, and I am adhering to that.
Why?
In addition, a convention centre catering for 2,000 delegates with spouses or partners, would obviously create pressure in many areas. I am preparing a memorandum for Government in respect of the provision of this centre in the Dublin area.
Arising from an analysis of stand alone convention centres, various interested groups expressed an interest in providing ancillary facilities if the legislation in respect of the Gaming and Lotteries Act were changed and if the Government decided to allocate a casino licence to an operator or operators. I am preparing a memorandum for Government in that respect and I intend to see that the priority I have established in regard to the provision of a national conference centre is proceeded with as quickly as possible.
Is it the intention of the Government to take up the bill for the national conference centre or is it the Minister's intention to recommend that these interest groups not only provide, at their own expense, a national conference centre, which would take that expense off the backs of the taxpayers but also, in addition, some form of casino? Will the Minister give his view in relation to a casino? If the conference centre is to be located in Dublin, will the Minister give an indication as to where it may be located? I suggest the Royal Dublin Society in Ballsbridge and the Phoenix Park as possible locations but the National Concert Hall has been suggested as a location. I believe it would be a tragedy if a national conference centre was added to the National Concert Hall in Earlsfort Terrace as the hall should be separate from national conference centres. However, as a Dublin person, I welcome the Minister's statement in relation to the location of the proposed national conference centre, and I am not being insular in this regard. If, as Deputy Killeen suggested, the conference centre were located in the south-west, I would have no problem with that because it is a worthwhile suggestion, but if it is to be located in Dublin, let it not be in Earlsfort Terrace on the basis I have already indicated.
A number of locations have been mooted as possible sites for the national conference centre. No decision has been taken in this regard although I share the Deputy's view in regard to the National Concert Hall.
Will the Minister consider locating it in Dún Laoghaire? We have some nice sites there.
The Minister has informed us that he is considering the question of establishing a gambling casino in Ireland——
I did not say that.
——and that the Government is prepared to amend the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1956, to facilitate the establishment of a gambling casino here. Is the Minister aware of the difficulties under which amusement arcade owners operate in the traditional seaside resorts because this Government, and all Governments since 1956, have failed to face up to their responsibilities in updating the 1956 Act? It seems ironic that the Government is now prepared to amend the Act to meet the requirements of a gaming casino, which will probably be operated by some international organisation, when those who operate these small amusement arcades continuously have gardaí calling on them because, under the 1956 Act, the stake they can accept in these machines is limited to 2p, a ludicrous sum in today's values.
Deputy Molloy is incorrect. I did not say that the Government was considering amending the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1956; I said this came to light following an analysis of stand alone conference centres where organisations and interest groups wishing to acquire a casino licence from the Government put forward proposals to my Department and to the public as to what they might do if they were granted a casino licence. This matter has not been considered by Government and there is nothing before Government about amending the Gaming and Lotteries Act. My priority is to ensure that the moneys available in the operational programme for the provision of a national conference centre in Dublin are allocated as quickly as possible.
As Minister for Tourism——
Let us hear the Minister. I will call the Deputy.
The issue of a casino licence arising from a change in the Gaming and Lotteries Act is a separate matter for the Government.
As Minister for Tourism and Trade surely the Minister is aware of the difficulties under which arcade owners in the traditional seaside resorts operate. A decision should be made at Government and, with his responsibility for tourism, I suggest there is a role for the Minister in this matter to close down such arcades or to control them in terms of 1990s legislation. To continue to turn a blind eye and operate under 1956 legislation is ludicrous. Do the people who are talking about establishing a major gambling casino in Ireland know that one cannot invest more than 2p in an Irish gambling machine?
If Deputy Molloy wishes to put down a question about specific cases where hardship is experienced in seaside resorts I will deal with it in so far as my responsibilities are concerned and I will convey the Deputy's interest to the Minister for Justice.
I do not understand why the Minister should invite me to put down a question.
There is nothing before the Government in terms of changing this legislation at the moment.
I am indicating what the problem is in this question and highlighting the anomaly. A Government decision is needed——
We appear to be going beyond the bounds of that particular question.
Will the Minister for Tourism and Trade accept that he has a role, because whether we like it or not, it is part of the tourism product?
I am aware that tourists want occasionally to spend their single pennies as well as their twopences so one has an interest in this. I will convey Deputy Molloy's concern to the Minister for Justice. If the Deputy wishes to put down a question in terms of my responsibilities as Minister for Tourism and Trade I will be very happy to answer it as comprehensively as I can.
That concludes questions for today.
On a point of information, I would like to leave Question No. 21 on the Order Paper as I do not wish it to be responded to other than by way of oral answer.