Vol. 404 No. 1
12 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the present position in relation to the report he commissioned from a working group in August, 1989 regarding the long term arrangements for the use of the facilities in the conference centre at Dublin Castle.
The working group, which considered the long term arrangement for the use of An Caisleán, the conference centre at Dublin Castle, submitted their findings and recommendations to me earlier this year. The facilities comprise the main conference centre, a number of delegation and break-out rooms, and a number of shared facilities such as dining areas and lobbies.
The Government decided, on foot of these recommendations that the conference centre should be made available for Government and approved private sector use, and should be managed by the Commissioners of Public Works. That decision has been implemented.
Would the Taoiseach outline the criteria used in deciding whether to approve private sector usage of the facilities?
The group laid down guidelines in that regard and we will adhere to those. The idea is to have suitable use — I mean suitable from the point of view of dignity and so on — by the private sector of the conference facilities. The group recommended that we should not encourage anything in the nature of commercial promotions of that kind. Otherwise we want to see the best possible use made of these excellent facilities.
Has there been any private usage of the facilities to date and has any target been set for the revenue which might be obtained from such usage during 1991?
There has been usage and a scale of charges has been laid down. Perhaps I should send this to Deputies for their information but it is very much in demand. There is a very keen and widespread demand for use of the facilities.
