Docklands still ‘best site’ for centre

DUBLIN docklands remains the best site for a national conference centre despite failed attempts to build the facility in the area, according to the umbrella group charged with overseeing development in the area.

Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue recently announced yet another plan to build a conference centre in the city and a steering group was appointed to get the project up and running.

The plan is for a private developer to build the centre with the State guaranteeing to lease the complex for an agreed number of years. One of the jobs of the steering group, made up of officials from various Government departments, is to identify the best sites.

Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA), which released its annual report yesterday, says the Spencer Dock would be a great place for the multi-million euro centre.

A plan to site such a centre in the docklands was abandoned after the developers a Treasury Holdings/Harry Crosbie consortium were denied planning permission to build a hotel and apartments.

There is speculation the same consortium is one of three in which Mr O'Donoghue has already expressed an interest to develop the 2,000-seater facility. This is third attempt by successive Governments in the last eight years to develop such a centre.

The DDDA meanwhile, delivered an upbeat assessment of its work in 2002, though chief executive Peter Coyne admitted there was still a huge amount to be done.

"We need to maintain the momentum in development to provide the physical reality of the docklands project and the financial means to realise the authority's vision of a worldclass city quarter," said Mr Coyne.

He described as critical the 2002-07 term of a 10-year plan and called for the support of the local community, Government and business.

Authority chairman Len Bradshaw added: "We entered the second five- year phase in 2002 on a strong physical foundation with the completion of

IFSC 1 and IFSC 2." Among the highlights of the year, according to Mr Bradshaw, were the opening of the National College of Ireland campus and the launch of the southside Grand Canal Dock development.

An education programme was part of the payback to the local community for the disruption caused by the redevelopment of the area.

Mr Bradshaw said 156 parents have enrolled in education programmes; 91 students received third-level scholarships and the introduction of a computer hub for schools in the area was another plus. By the end of 2002, 83 school leavers were employed in the IFSC, he said. And 11,300 jobs have been created in the centre over the last number of years.