Vol. 396 No. 3
103 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he has received an application from the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland for additional land in Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 in order to expand the amount of space available per animal; the present amount of land held by the Society in the Phoenix Park; the amount and location of extra land requested; if he will accede to this request; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In 1988 a joint working group was established with representatives of the Office of Public Works and of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland to consider how the OPW could be of assistance to improve the operation of the zoo. The RZSI representatives indicated that the provision of additional space was a long-term aspiration which would become an issue in the future, but they made no specific request for any particular area of land. The amount of land at present held by the RZSI is approximately 30 acres.
