The estimated cost of the relocation of the State laboratories from Abbotstown early this year was £83.5 million. This comprised £24 million for the State laboratory, £50 million for the laboratories of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and £9.5 million for the Marine Institute. These were preliminary estimates based on limited information available at the time. Since then a full and comprehensive evaluation of requirements necessary to meet modern laboratory standards, to allow accreditation of various laboratory procedures in line with EU directives and to meet health and safety requirements, has been completed and the total estimate is now £157 million for the relocation of the State laboratory and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development laboratories to Backweston. This estimate involves almost double the floor area originally envisaged. The estimate is still being examined. The Marine Institute is relocating to Galway and final costs are not yet available. In addition, a £3 million contract for the building of new conference and library facilities at the State laboratory in Abbotstown had to be terminated at a cost of £0.6 million including compensation to the contractor.
Regardless of the decision to build the National Stadium in Abbotstown, considerable expenditure would have been required to improve and update the laboratory facilities at Abbotstown to meet modern laboratory requirements.
