Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jun 1998

Vol. 493 No. 3

Written Answers. - Oireachtas Accommodation.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

246 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the changes, if any, made in the specification and schedule of accommodation for the new building to be built for the Houses of the Oireachtas; if so, if those changes result in the reduction of available meeting room space for the different political parties as was originally envisaged; if it is still the proposal of the Office of Public Works to construct additional accommodation which would provide new meeting rooms for all of the parliamentary parties with seven or more members in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15828/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Cullen)

The schedule of accommodation for the new building for the Oireachtas provides, in broad terms, for the following: individual offices for between 100 and 110 Members and their direct staff and Oireachtas support staff; four committee rooms; one meeting-party room; one TV studio and interview rooms. These details have been agreed with representatives of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. With the exception of the cre ches for which proposals are currently being developed and the broadcast unit, which is to remain in its present location in Kildare House, there are no significant changes from the general outline announced publicly by me when this project was relaunched in November last year.

None of the proposals involves any reduction in the meeting room space currently available to the different political parties. The proposals agreed with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges do not provide for the creation of any new meeting areas, other than those mentioned above. When complete the accommodation in the new building will free-up accommodation space in use at present.