CSI to come to Kildare with new forensic facility

IT’S a far cry from the steamy tropical surroundings of South Florida or the gritty mean streets of New York but a state-of-the art forensic lab — CSI Kildare, if you will — is to be developed in Celbridge.

Our crime experts are more likely to be wearing macs than designer sunglasses in the style of CSI Miami’s Lt Horatio Caine.

The State is set to spend millions of euro building a massive brand new forensic science laboratory in Celbridge.

While it is unlikely the occupants of CSI-Kildare will be provided with the Armani-esque suits sported by the stars of the US hit series, they will certainly have a state-of-the-art facility to carry out their investigations.

The two-storey building in Backweston will have an internal floor plan of about 9,550 square metres — that is the equivalent of almost 80 three-bed semis. According to the spec for the job, the facility will include “laboratories, offices and ancillary accommodation” as well as a single-storey utilities and storage building of 485 square metres.

According to the Office of Public Works which is overseeing the tendering process for the gargantuan structure, construction will start later this year “subject to budgetary considerations”. The estimated construction time is 24-30 months.

A spokeswoman would not be drawn on the cost for the development pointing out that to give a figure would influence the tendering process.

The new facility will free up the old forensic laboratory in Phoenix Park.

According to the OPW it will continue to be used by gardaí.