I am advised the new Marine Institute headquarters building at Rinville, Oranmore, County Galway, is in the final stages of completion. It is intended that the Marine Institute staff will be relocated to the new building from mid-March 2006.
I understand from the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the project, that the cost is expected to come within the sanctioned Department of Finance project budget of €50.4 million, inclusive of fees and fit-out.
The Marine Institute advises me that the initial occupancy will be in the order of 170 staff but this may rise periodically to approximately 200, through the intake of both summer students and specialist research project teams.