Tender of €200m less was rejected in building centre

THE state awarded the contract to build and operate the new National Convention Centre in Dublin at a cost of €416 million, despite receiving a bid for about €200m less.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s annual report also revealed that the Government had an independent consultant’s report which showed that the economic benefits of the new conference centre would not cover its cost.

The C&AG, John Buckley, has recommended that there should be a change in how bids for public-private partnerships are assessed following his examination of the contract to design the NCC which was won by the Spencer Dock Convention Centre Dublin consortium. It showed that the Government estimated in December 2004 that the convention centre, which officially opened last month, would cost €414m even though it would only deliver €236m in economic benefits.