Classical concerts to hit high notes elsewhere

The Government is considering relocating the National Concert Hall from Earlsfort Terrace to a vacant site on Infirmary Road, near Heuston Station, on the north of the river. The proposal is part of plans by the Minister for Arts, Ms de Valera, for a "radical reconfiguration" of the artistic infrastructure of the city centre.

A spokesman for the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands has confirmed that move is being considered.

"A senior-level working group has been established and it is examining a range of options for the future of the NCH," he said. The group was to report shortly.

A briefing document obtained by The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act indicates that Ms de Valera supports the proposal to relocate the Concert Hall to Infirmary Road.

In the document the secretary-general of her Department, Mr Philip Furlong, writes that Ms de Valera "is attracted to the proposition that the Government should now consider relocating the National Concert Hall, comprising two auditoriums, to the Infirmary Road site that had been earmarked for the Department's new head quarters".

The Infirmary Road site, formerly the car pound, is at the junction of Parkgate Street, Conyngham Road and Infirmary Road. Situated across the River Liffey from Heuston Station, it is next to the Department of Defence. The Office of Public Works owns the site, which is currently vacant.

Mr Furlong prepared his document for Mr Gerry Hickey, programme manager to the Taoiseach, last November.

The document - a "draft information note for the Taoiseach on the proposed redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre" - includes an addendum on infrastructure for the provision of arts in Dublin.

The document says the Minister has "plans for a radical reconfiguration" of the artistic infrastructure of the city centre.

It says the current National Concert Hall building at Earlsfort Terrace has been recognised since 1981 as "deficient in accommodation, particularly backstage.

"With the passage of time and with increasingly stringent health and safety requirements these inadequacies have magnified," the document says.

"The Hall is too small to be economically viable for certain events and too large for more intimate performances. A second auditorium is urgently required," it continues.

"Given the continued occupation by UCD of the balance of the Earlsfort Terrace site it is clear that the problems of the National Concert Hall cannot be resolved within a reasonable time frame by remaining on that site."

The Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands had been planning to relocate its headquarters to the Infirmary Road site, but the proposal has been shelved due to financial constraints.

The working group examining the possible relocation of the concert hall includes Mr Furlong, Mr John Dennehy, secretary-general of the Department of Education and Science; and Mr Barry Murphy, chairman of the Office of Public Works.

The Department of Education is involved because UCD occupies most of the Earlsfort Terrace site.

A spokeswoman for the NCH said the board of the hall was aware that a working group was examining options.

"There has been no discussion about moving or staying where we are, as no options have been put in front of us."