Vol. 547 No. 1
121 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the assistance being provided to have the Hanover Expo pavilion relocated to the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2484/02]
I make it clear to the Deputy that my Department is not providing, and gave no undertaking to provide, any financial assistance for the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology in its efforts to relocate the Irish pavilion at EXPO 2000 to its campus. The decision to gift the pavilion to the institute was made, inter alia, on the basis that the institute had sufficient funds available to cover the cost of demounting the pavilion and re-erecting it on its campus.
I understand that the Department of Education and Science committed a sum of £2 million – 2.54 million – towards this project in 2001. The institute, however, indicated last autumn that an amount of up to 4.44 million – £3.5 million – would be required to complete the re-erection of the pavilion. On the basis of value for money considerations I understand that the Department of Education and Science is not willing to commit further funds to the institute and following further appraisal of the project that Department remains firmly of view that public expenditure in excess of 2.54 million would not represent value for money.
In the light of this decision by the Department of Education and Science and the absence of funds from any other source it appears that no option remains open to the institute at this stage, but to disengage from the project.
