Vol. 514 No. 4
130 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Finance the plans, if any, he has to relocate the six laboratories (details supplied) and attendant farm and staff in view of the announcement to build a national sports stadium on the complex; if the estimated building costs of £281 million include the cost of this relocation; if not, the amount of these costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4481/00]
131 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Finance the cost of the re-location of the State Laboratory and the laboratories under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development from Abbotstown to Backweston Farm, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4468/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.
The Government has decided that the State Laboratory, which is under the aegis of my Department, and the other laboratories under the aegis of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, should be relocated from Abbotstown to Backweston Farm, which is situated between Lucan and Celbridge, County Kildare. The Marine Institute is being relocated to Galway.
There is a need to upgrade the various State laboratories to bring them into line with best modern practice. There will be a new up to date complex of laboratories established at Backweston. This will include, as part of the State Laboratory, new and improved laboratory facilities which are needed to ensure food safety.
High technology facilities of this kind are expensive. The cost of relocating all of the laboratories, including that of the Marine Institute, and of financing new scientific and laboratory equipment, is estimated by my Department, in consultation with the Departments of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and the Department of the Marine and National Resources as being of the order of £90 million. This estimate does not include the cost of relocating the farm at Abbotstown. This matter will be examined over the next few months by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. The estimated cost is separate from the costs of the national sports stadium. Detailed planning for the relocation of the facilities referred to by the Deputies has already commenced.
