An estimated €145 million redevelopment of the National Concert Hall (NCH) in Dublin could double to €50 million the revenue it generates for the national economy each year - and see it become a "major driver" of cultural tourism, an Oireachtas committee heard yesterday.
Dr Dermot Egan, chairman of the NCH, told the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs that the hall was a "fantastic achievement" in the early 1980s. But it has since fallen behind the standards of other international concert halls.
The NCH's current maximum capacity at its site in Earlsfort Terrace is 1,200 seats, but this is frequently reduced by the requirements of particular events, he said. UCD is willing to sell the NCH site for a price of some €45 million, with a further €100 million needed for estimated construction costs.
"The opportunity for the redevelopment arises because UCD plan to move the parts of their medicine and engineering faculties fully from the site to its buildings at Belfield in 2006/2007," Dr Egan said.
"UCD own the site and we currently lease part of it for the NCH. The vision we have for redevelopment of the site, once UCD has moved, is for a three-hall complex, with a larger auditorium of 1,800 to 2,000 seats, the existing hall getting refurbished into 900, and then a smaller flexible hall of 400 seats," Dr Egan said.
Another opportunity presented by a redevelopment is to open the "magnificent" Iveagh Gardens on to the the concert hall building, allowing the construction of eating and other facilities looking out on to the gardens, he added.
In her presentation, the NCH's director, Judith Woodworth, warned that because the main auditorium was "simply not large enough" for many of its performances, the NCH has been forced to turn away up to 40 per cent of ticket inquiries at its box office.
The NCH expected to reach 83 per cent capacity for this year, and will have hosted over 400 events, she said.
Among the NCH delegation attending yesterday's meeting were uilleann piper Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains, and classical pianist Finghin Collins.
The NCH presentation received broad support from committee members. However, one member, Jimmy Deenihan TD of Fine Gael, warned there was no guarantee the land would be available for sale at the €45 million price tag indefinitely
"This is a unique opportunity and it will more than pay for itself financially over the years," he said.