asked the Minister for Finance when he proposes to call a meeting of the all-party John F. Kennedy concert hall committee.
38.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kennedy Concert Hall.
37.
asked the Minister for Finance why a meeting of the John F. Kennedy concert hall committee has not been called for some years.
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 37 and 38 together.
The architectural plans have been completed and a revised estimate of cost of this building has just been received.
I am considering calling a meeting of the all-party committee at a convenient date. Until the plans and revised estimate of cost were ready, it was considered that a further meeting of the committee would have been premature.
Is the Minister aware that it is nearly four years since the committee met and that, while several sites have been considered, the site for this hall has not yet been fixed? As well as being a concert hall, is the Minister aware that this is to be an assembly hall and that thereby it will give a great deal of employment to the tourist trade because there will be many conferences that can be held when the Kennedy Hall is built which cannot now be held in Dublin owing to the lack of suitable accommodation?
As I have said, the revised estimate of cost has only just come to hand. There was no point in having a meeting without that. The question of holding a meeting at a convenient date is now being considered.
Can the Minister say what is the revised estimate?
It is £3,540,000.
Does this apply to a particular site?
No, I do not think so, but it does include the increases of wages applying from 1st July.
Does that figure include the price of land?
I have not got the breakdown of that.
Will the price of land come on top of that figure?
I am assuming—I am only assuming; I may be wrong in this —that the estimate includes a figure in respect of a notional site.
Is the Minister aware that if he called a meeting of the committee all these matters which have been raised by the various Deputies would be cleared up?
This is possible, yes.