Children's science centre saga has exposed Exchequer to 'significant financial risk', PAC says
The Public Accounts Committee has warned that the National Children’s Science Centre project in Dublin faces significant financial and legal risks due to poor governance and lack of funding. The project, proposed over 20 years ago, has already incurred millions in costs without a clear business case or ownership.
Why it matters
This report highlights systemic issues in public capital project management and the potential for significant waste of taxpayer funds.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF a children’s science centre has advanced without the normal safeguards for a major public capital project and exposed the Exchequer to “significant legal and financial risk”, according to the Public Accounts Committee.
The observation is set out in a report by PAC on the National Children’s Science Centre, a project first proposed over 25 years ago.
The ongoing saga surrounding its development has been discussed at a number of PAC hearings in the last number of years due to long-running governance and funding issues.
The report highlights that the Office of Public Works (OPW) remains legally bound to deliver the project by 2029, despite there being no sponsoring department and no funding allocated within the National Development Plan.
Among its recommendations, the report says the OPW should undertake a “comprehensive assessment” of the financial and legal implications of abandoning the project.
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