Vol. 466 No. 4
89 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Finance the number of projects that the Office of Public Works was requested to report on in 1995; the projects in respect of which approval has been sanctioned; the projects pending approval; the total costs of such reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11615/96]
The Office of Public Works was involved in a wide variety of projects in 1995 funded both from its own Vote and from the Votes of other Government Departments. These projects range from minor maintenance to major refurbishment and new building works. Information on these projects is not routinely maintained in the format sought.
The main Subhead for capital expenditure on building construction projects in the Vote of the Office of Public Works is Subhead E entitled "new works, alterations and additions". Some £31.6 million was expended under this Subhead in 1995. Such expenditure was covered by either delegated or, upon making requests to the Department of Finance, specific sanctions and included: refurbishment of existing properties within the State portfolio (£9.2 million), Department of Justice programme of works (£8.5 million), Dublin Castle Complex (£6.6 million), National Cultural Institutions (National Museum, National Gallery etc.) (£5.5 million) and restoration of the Curvilinear Range in the Botanic Gardens (£1.06 million). The balance of the expenditure was incurred on a number of smaller works. Expenditure on the capital element of the implementation of the Development Plan for Dublin Zoo which was sanctioned in 1994 amounted to £.96 million in 1995 (Subhead M). Expenditure on major projects can extend over a number of years and there are no decisions outstanding on requests submitted to the Minister for Finance in 1995.
