Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
420. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the predicted construction cost for the National Children’s Science Centre project; the costs that have been incurred to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14737/26]
View answer421. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if a cost-benefit analysis has been conducted on the proposed National Children’s Science Centre project; if an updated business case has been reviewed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14738/26]
View answer422. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if the 2029 construction deadline for the National Children’s Science Centre, as set out in the latest arbitration ruling, will be met; what steps he is taking to progress the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14739/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 420 to 422, inclusive, together.
As part of the arbitration between Irish Children's Museum Limited (ICML) and the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland (Office of Public Works), a Final Award was issued to both parties in mid-December 2025.
Among the terms of the Final Award, it is set out that the Office of Public Works shall carry out and complete all of the Landlord’s (OPW) Works consistent with the Irish Children's Museum Limited's objectives of operating a national interactive science museum for children in accordance with a prior Agreement for Lease between ICML and the Office of Public Works. Such works shall be carried out and completed on or before 25 December 2029, where such period includes the time needed for any tender processes and agreements with the appointed contractors and subcontractors. Preparation of the tender documentation will begin shortly.
Notwithstanding the obligations set out by the terms of the Final Award, a series of capital appraisal measures are required to comply with Infrastructure Guidelines, published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. These provide that an Approving Authority and Sponsoring Agency must oversee compliance with the Infrastructure Guidelines.
The Office of Public Works is the Contracting Authority for this project, with an Approving Authority, Sponsoring Agency and funding yet to be identified.
The estimated gross total project cost, as of 2024, to develop the National Children's Science Centre is €70m, inclusive of VAT.
The total expenditure and costs incurred to date, by the State, were set out by the Comptroller and Auditor General in Chapter 5 of his report on the accounts of the public services for 2024. This expenditure totalled €4,273,000 as at August 2025, and included contributions from other Departments and Agencies, including Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.
See figure 5.4 at the link below from the 2024 Appropriations Accounts Chapter 5 Development of a proposed national science centre.
Since then, additional legal costs of €576,241 in settlement of a claim for legal fees by ICML have been notified by the State Claims Agency, as well as a final Arbitrator fee of €13,530. These legal costs will bring the total to €4,862,771, noting that additional costs in respect of the legal fees of the Office of Public Works are yet to be confirmed.
In the absence of an Approving Authority, a Sponsoring Agency and project funding, a Strategic Assessment and Preliminary Business Case for the project has not been conducted, nor reviewed.
As the Contracting Authority, the Office of Public Works does not have a role to review or approve Strategic Assessments or Business Cases in relation to this project.
