COVID-19

One-off use of Dublin Convention Centre to sit Dáil to cost €160k

One-off use of Dublin Convention Centre to sit Dáil to cost €160k

The use of Dublin’s Convention Centre to host the Dáil is going to cost around €160,000 for a single sitting.

The venue has been chosen to allow all 160 TDs to meet to elect a Taoiseach while maintaining social distancing.

It was put forward as a potential venue by the Dáil Business Committee.

Despite there being no hire fee for the venue, it is estimated each Dáil sitting there will cost €50,000.

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That’s on top of a one-off set-up fee of €110,000.

That fee is required to adapt the auditorium for proper use as a parliamentary chamber, including the installation of microphones.

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall, who sits on the committee, admitted there weren't a lot of options.

"What happens when we get to a point where a taoiseach has to be elected or where emergency legislation needs to be passed?

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"We have been checking out other potential venues, the most likely one at this point is the Convention Centre," she added, noting such votes would need every TD present.

A reduced Dáil is scheduled to sit next week where Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris will answer questions on Ireland's response to the outbreak of COVID-19

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