It is important to note what has happened. I listened to Deputy Andrews earlier this week when he spoke of shock, horror and dismay at the termination of this stage of this proposal. I received a Government authorisation on 26 May last year to invite tenders from the private sector based on 50 per cent grant support under the Operational Tourism Programme for the provision of an international conference centre in Dublin. That was advertised in the normal way through official channels and there were 14 applicants under that scheme. One dropped out subsequently and 13 were fully assessed. These applicants were assessed not only by Bord Fáilte's professional assessment team but also by the Independent Product Management Board which Deputy Andrews referred to as being appointed by me but which was in fact appointed by my predecessor, the Minister for Tourism and Trade at the time, Deputy McCreevy, who was a member of the same Cabinet as Deputy Andrews. This is an independent board with very reputable people and they, in their wisdom, asked Bord Fáilte to consult the applicants to satisfy themselves that they, the applicants, were in accordance with the criteria of the tender documentation. It transpired as a result of those investigations that none of the 13 being then fully assessed could comply with the criteria of the tender documentation in that they required either a Government subsidy on an ongoing basis or revenue from a casino gambling operation. I had no option, therefore, but to conclude that stage of the process.
The Independent Product Management Board then recommended that an alternative strategy should be pursued, which is what I am doing. There is nothing underhand about this. It was an above board official tender operation designed so that the tender process would be done in stages. What was involved here was the pre-qualification stage so that companies wishing to apply would not be put to the expense of submitting final documentation. They were asked individually if they were happy with their tenders. This is a normal business plan. Nowhere in the Operational Plan for Tourism is there a case where defraying of costs for application to tender for such a project is considered. As far as I am concerned we are now awaiting a series of proposals from the Royal Dublin Society in respect of seeking aid as a public body to provide this centre.