Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2009
105 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the national theatre project; his views on the feasibility of the proposal to relocate the theatre to the General Post Office, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37476/09]
View answer108 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress regarding the relocation of the Abbey Theatre; the implications of the revised programme for Government commitment to relocate the theatre to the General Post Office, Dublin; the amount of money spent to date on the original relocation; if this is to be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37376/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 108 together.
The development of a new national theatre project is a complex undertaking, with a myriad of technical, procedural and legal factors to address in making progress on it. The successful delivery of this project is a priority for my Department and the Government in the renewed programme for Government and the national development plan.
Arising from the original Government decision to relocate the Abbey Theatre to a site provided by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority at George's Dock, an inter-agency steering committee was set up to oversee the project. The committee is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives of the National Development Finance Agency, Office of Public Works, Abbey Theatre and Dublin Docklands Development Authority. A project team, chaired by the Office of Public Works and comprising representatives of the same agencies as the steering group, was also established and met on more than 20 occasions. A considerable amount of technical, legal and financial due diligence was undertaken to ensure this project was progressed and that the best solution possible was put in place.
To date, €219,590.32 has been expended on design, engineering, architectural, financial and legal fees. Significant progress had been made in finalising the accommodation brief, international design documentation, financial stress testing, technical and engineering feasibility and layout, the majority of which are project as distinct from site specific, in the event of decisions being taken by Government to procure the new Abbey Theatre on an alternative site. In that regard, the Office of Public Works, in conjunction with my Department and the Abbey Theatre and with relevant external technical input, has commenced an assessment of the GPO complex to ascertain its feasibility as a location for the redeveloped national theatre. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and An Post will also be engaged in this process. There are many technical issues involved in such an assessment and a full report will be brought to Government in due course.
This project certainly seems to be a complex undertaking. The preparation for a design competition has been ongoing for years and three Ministers have been involved in the process, but no decision has been made. There has been a substantial outlay in money and time and various experts have been enlisted to provide the design completion specification. The question is whether that specification is site-specific, in which case the GPO proposal, which would have been most welcome five or six years ago, is nothing other than a red herring if it would require us to go back to the drawing board.
Everyone would agree there is a critical decision to be made in this regard. A considerable degree of pressure has been taken off the Abbey Theatre following its recent refurbishment on the existing site. I understand the board is satisfied that the theatre will be able to continue for the next five or six years until a new site is developed, hopefully in time for the centenary of the Rising in 2016. As I said in my reply, the vast majority of spending associated with this project to date — I mentioned a figure of some €219,000 — is project specific as opposed to site specific. In other words, the vast majority of it could be transferred into the GPO if that is the decision. It is important to note that while the programme for Government declares an interest in going down that road, all the complexities of the proposal will have to be fully explored and identified in order to ascertain whether it is feasible.
It is amazing that this process has gone on for so long until now, quite suddenly, we have had an about-turn. From where did the impetus come for this about-turn in terms of relocating the theatre to the GPO? Will there now be a requirement for more consultants to be engaged to look again at the GPO? Even after such evaluation has taken place, is there still a chance that we will revert to plan A?
The concern is that the proposal is merely a time wasting exercise.
I make no attempt to deny that there has been a shift in the Government's position on this matter. I participated in a debate on this issue in the Seanad in June 2008 at which point the clear course being pursued was to locate the theatre at George's Dock. Since then, there has been a shift in thinking of which I became aware at a meeting with the Taoiseach, the Minister and the Secretary General last June. Once I was aware of that, I instructed officials in the Office of Public Works accordingly. I understand the GPO was considered some years ago as one of four or five options, so limited work had already been done on it. On the question of consultants, the vast majority, if not all, of the work is being done in-house by the Office of Public Works.
To clarify, will the Minister of State elaborate on his indication that he has given instruction to the Office of Public Works?
I have instructed it to examine the feasibility of locating the plans as they have been developed for the Abbey Theatre in the GPO as opposed to George's Dock.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
