Vol. 473 No. 1
293 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the current status of a costbenefit analysis by a British consultancy firm of the proposals by the RDS for the building of a national convention centre; if he will consider the cost benefit findings in tandem with those of the product board; and when he proposes to bring his recommendations before Government for decision. [24328/96]
As I have indicated in response to previous similar Dáil questions, upon completion of their examination of the Royal Dublin Society proposal to develop a conference centre at their Ballsbridge site, Bord Fáilte, on the recommendation of the management board for product development, commissioned in independent cost benefit analysis, as is required under the Operational Programme of Tourism 1994-99 in the case of all large projects. This analysis was undertaken by an experienced UK consultancy firm who were selected by Bord Fáilte on the basis of a competitive tendering procedure.
The Government, having taken into account a number of factors, including the recommendations of the product board and Bord Fáilte, as well as the results of the cost benefit analysis, subsequently agreed that a submission be made to the European Commission recommending approval of a proposal from the RDS to develop the convention centre. The Commission's final response is now awaited.
