Opportunity to create National Science Museum must not be wasted – O’Connell

The Department of Further and Higher Education needs to take on a sponsorship role to get a national science museum over the line, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Maeve O’Connell said: “The Comptroller and Auditor General report discussed at PAC today states that the glacial progress on the Irish Children’s Museum Ltd. is due in part to there being no clear department leading the project. There has already been €4 million of public monies sunk into it.

“Now is the time for the Department of Further and Higher Education to take on a leading role to deliver a national science museum for everyone to enjoy.

“International examples highlight how any such project will need joint support from public and private interests.

“Action is needed to make sure this money already invested does not go to waste. We can deliver a facility that will greatly benefit the education of many current and future generations.

“There exists a real opportunity to create a world class science museum, especially if we combine the efforts of the Department, the Irish Children’s Museum Ltd. and the Explorium Science Centre.

“We have the people with the skills to get this project over the line, we now need to find the will to get it done.”