Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. The Iveagh Gardens is a particularly unique part of our city. It is a hugely important asset to the local community, which has very little green space. It is a five-minute walk from here. It is a really important asset to our community. It is tucked away at the back of the National Concert Hall. It is in an area with one of the lowest amounts of green space per capita of any European city. We must protect it. We really must protect it. It would be devastating to allow this piece of heritage and this green area, which is a jewel in Dublin's crown, to disappear.

There are plans to develop an Irish children's science museum at the National Concert Hall by Irish Children's Museum Limited, which is a charity.

That will damage the park and eat into it. We must protect these gardens. This entire project is being carried out in the dark. It has created so many questions and there are still so many questions around it. It was discussed in the Committee of Public Accounts last week. There are many questions that no one seems to want or be able to answer.

According to the Irish Children’s Museum Limited, ICML, which is behind this project, work is due to begin next year. For me, this is astounding considering no business case or feasibility study has been done by the OPW or the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, none at all. No Department has committed to meeting the annual cost of running this science museum. No one knows who will be responsible for the running of this science museum. Will the ICML run it and continue the fundraising required to sustain the exhibits or will it be handed back to the State to run? Again, we do not know.

The Minister has confirmed that the OPW is legally obliged to construct the national children's science centre. Can a summary of the detailed legal advice be provided to the Committee of Public Accounts, as it requested on 12 June 2024? In fact, at a meeting on 11 October 2018, Mr. Buckley is on record as saying: "I cannot imagine that people of that eminence who are good, solid citizens, would wish to pursue the project if it did not pass muster with the cost-benefit analysis and public spending code." Will this project be subject to a business case appraisal in accordance with the requirements of the public spending code? If not, why not?

There is no need for a new science centre as there is already one on 20 acres that was built in 2019. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport relaunched it just this year. It is in Sandyford, which is just 11 km away from this other proposed science museum. It does not make any sense whatsoever. Who will own this proposed new building if it is built? What will be the estimated costs to the Government to fit out, provide installation and operate this building? The Minister of State has confirmed that the OPW is legally obliged to construct this national children's science centre. Can a summary of the detailed advice be provided?

The cost of this project is now estimated to be €70 million. When this project started, 21 years ago, the cost was estimated to be €15 million. There are also various issues around this project. It is still hanging around and it now seems that this board, the ICML, is going to try to push it on next year.

See this speech in context