Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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265. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated amount of money that the OPW will spend on the refurbishment and fit out costs to the new Garda premises at 13 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1. [61883/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works can confirm that, following a request from Garda Estate Management for a presence on O’Connell St., OPW Property Management agreed in December 2021 for the occupation of a number of offices at 13A Upper O’Connell Street by An Garda Síochána, refurbishment and fit out works are currently being carried out at the premises.

These works include a public reception and interview rooms for members of the public or victims of crime, and includes a separate office for use by the Irish Tourism Assistance Service (ITAS). The back office, at ground and basement floors, will provide accommodation for 8/9 workstations, as well as ancillary facilities including meeting room, tea station, sanitary and welfare facilities, and storage.

The contract for works has been awarded to PJ Hegarty –Works commenced on site 10th October 2022 and are expected to complete Q1 2023 and the total estimated cost of the project is €1.1m. These works are jointly funded by the OPW and An Garda Síochána.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 266, 267, 268, 269, 270 and 271 together.

I wish to inform the Deputy of the following with regard to his questions relating to the proposed National Children's Science Centre (NCSC) at Earlsfort Terrace.

Updated costings for the construction of the National Children's Science Centre are not currently available and updated costings are awaited.

In line with the binding arbitration ruling the OPW will construct the museum but the fit out, installation of exhibits and operating cost of the museum are a matter for the National Children’s Science Centre and not the State.

The role of the OPW following binding arbitration is to honour its legal commitment following the arbitration judgement and construct a new Children’s Science Museum at the Earlsfort Terrace site.

The NCSC will be operated by a private company and not by the State.

A previous arbitration took place in 2013 and was settled by OPW and NCSC before final binding arbitration and the current arbitration took place in 2021 with a judgement issued in July 2022 on foot of the previous arbitration.