Vol. 465 No. 6
8 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade when the Government is likely to reconsider the proposals for the building of a national conference centre; if an application has been made to the European Commission for final approval in respect of the RDS; the legal action, if any, pending following his decision to abolish the conference centre competition in January 1996. [10335/96]
10 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade whether it remains his objective that work on the site for the proposed national conference centre will commence by December 1996; if so, the way in which he expects this target date to be achieved in view of the fact that Bord Fáilte has not presented its conclusions to the independent Management Board for Product Development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10274/96]
35 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade whether discussions were held at any stage with the promoters of the SONAS conference centre in respect of the hotel and casino proposal for the Phoenix Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10270/96]
37 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the current position regarding the proposals for the national conference centre at Ballsbridge, Dubline 4; the difficulties, if any, that have arisen in respect of this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10151/96]
54 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the current position regarding the proposed national conference centre. [10267/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 10, 35, 37 and 54 together. It remains the objective of the Minister that work commences on the site of the proposed national conference centre by the end of the year. The achievement of that objective, however, depends on a number of factors, including, whether a viable proposal acceptable to the Government finally emerges from current negotiations and the position to be taken by the European Commission whose formal approval is required for the associated European Regional Development Fund grant. Following the termination of the open tendering competition late last year, the Minister asked Bord Fáilte to pursue an earlier proposal from the RDS to develop, in its Ballsbridge site, without generating voluntary society, a national conference centre for up to 2,000 delegates at its Ballsbridge site, without any annual operating subsidy. That assessment process is now nearing finalisation and should be complete within the next few weeks. As the Deputy can appreciate it is important that a project of this scale and complexity is properly planned and adequately assessed.
I am not aware of any formal legal action pending in relation to the open tendering competition which took place last year.
The Minister had a meeting some months ago with representatives of SONAS, at its request, at which it gave a presentation of its proposals to develop a complex at the Phoenix Park racecourse.
The Minister of State's reply appears to indicate that the building of the conference centre will not commence by the end of the year, but I understood from his ministerial colleague, Deputy Kenny, that it would be up and running sometime after the end of this year. Now we are told there is a delay.
Regarding the SONAS application to build a casino, will the Minister of State indicate if the Government is for or against that project in the light of planning permission granted for the development on the site of the former Phoenix Park racecourse? Will the Government introduce legislation to provide for a casino? Will the Minister amend the gaming and lotteries laws? Will the Minister of State indicate the direction the Government is going in this area?
The issue of amending the gaming and lotteries laws is a separate question. I am informed that no decision has been taken on the SONAS proposal. The proposal for the RDS is under consideration and discussions on the funding of the project are taking place in Brussels.
Regarding the commencement of work on the proposed national conference centre, I refer the Deputy to my reply where I stated that it remains the Minister's objective that work will commence on the site by the end of the year. That is still the objective.
Is that not a farce and a nightmare? Given what the Minister of State said and what his senior Minister said, is it not the case that the conference centre will cause great difficulty for the Government? The suggestion that the construction of the centre will commence by the end of the year might be a good election issue. As in the case of 1916, people will ask what the coalition did about the conference centre. The proposed conference centre is to be sited in the middle of one of the most traffic congested areas in Dublin. We have a relevant proposition in that regard to which the Minister of State might respond. If the SONAS development in the Phoenix Park becomes a reality, an outstanding conference centre will be located there. If the proposed conference centre in the RDS also proceeds, there will be a surplus of conference centres. I suggest that the SONAS development might be a considerably better conference centre than the one proposed in the RDS.
The Deputy is entering into a debate and deviating from the subject matter.
I do not intend to do that. I want a conference centre for Dublin and Ireland because we badly need one, but in the meantime the Minister of State is laying down political landmines by giving the type of responses he has given this afternoon.
I am sure everybody in the House would share the Deputy's enthusiasm for a national conference centre. The matter is under serious consideration and planning applications have been lodged. Discussions concerning the proposed site at the RDS are ongoing in Brussels.
I cannot give the Deputy any information on the future of the SONAS proposal. We will have to await the outcome of consideration of the RDS proposal to ascertain if it will be acceptable to the Commission.
