Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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345. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if expenditure estimates for capital projects under Project Ireland 2040 under the remit of his Department and agencies match projected cost requirements in tabular from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30969/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the following capital projects under the remit of my Department and Agencies are included in Project Ireland 2040:

Justice: Forensic Science Laboratory

Justice: Baseline Capital

Forensic Science Laboratory

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is managing the Forensic Science Laboratory Project, on behalf of my Department.  The OPW advised that, due to the complexity of ISO standard (14644-1) for Cleanrooms and Associated Controlled Environments, it was necessary to add further material to the tender documentation for the main contract. As a result the timelines for issuing the tender documentation had to be revised.  

The Forensic Science Laboratory project has incurred expenditure of €1.3m and €1.4m in 2017 and 2018 respectively, in relation to site clearance and preparation works.  As the issuing of tender documentation has been delayed, expenditure is behind that originally profiled. Tender submissions for the main contract are due to be received in the coming weeks and information in relation to tender pricing is commercially sensitive.

Baseline Capital

The Baseline Capital refers to the Department's annual capital allocation of €0.35m, principally for ICT capital costs, in line with projected cost requirements. 

I have requested that relevant agencies under the remit of my Department, and operating under a separate Vote structure (An Garda Síochána, Irish Prison Service and Courts Service) respond directly to the Deputy.