A multi-million euro development project for Wexford Festival Opera as it enters its second half-century has been approved by the Government.
Negotiations on the matter came to fruition at the weekend when the Taoiseach, in his keynote address to the Fianna Fáil Ardfheis, announced the provision of a facility in Wexford "worthy of one of the finest opera festivals of its kind in the world".
The announcement by Mr Ahern was welcomed by the festival board, which three years ago purchased 11,000 sq ft of property adjacent to the Theatre Royal, the 1832 building where the three main operas produced by the company each year are staged.
It is intended to improve backstage and audience facilities in the theatre, as well as provide a regional arts centre with a gallery, rehearsal rooms and other facilities.
No one is publicly putting a cost on the project yet but it will run to many millions of euro. Not all of the funding will come from the Exchequer; the Wexford local authorities have committed €635,000 (£500,000) to the initiative, while a major fund-raising drive in the private sector is to be undertaken by the Wexford Festival Foundation, of which the former Attorney General, Mr Peter Sutherland, is a member.
Mr Jerome Hynes, the festival chief executive, said the project offered exciting possibilities for Wexford and the south-east. Building is not due to commence until next year and it will be 2005 at the earliest before the development is completed.
Mr Ted Howlin, the chairman of the festival, said the commitment given by Mr Ahern represented a "major milestone" for the organisation.