National Children's Science Centre 'a matter of urgent national priority'

It had also been reported that the Government planned to abandon the project but the consortium overseeing it was successful in an arbitration process which requires the project to go ahead.

A new National Children's Science Centre should be developed “as a matter of urgent national priority” and a circular then sent to all schools to ensure they visit as part of their science curriculum, the Oireachtas Education Committee has said. 

The Committee has urged the Government to give its full support to the long-awaited centre, with the final cost of the project still uncertain. Recent estimates said it could cost nearly €50m.

The site earmarked for the new centre is located next to the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Despite receiving planning permission last November, the matter has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

An Bord Pleanála had set a target date of April 28 to issue its decision on the appeal but has yet to do so.

It had also been reported that the Government planned to abandon the project but the consortium overseeing it was successful in an arbitration process which ultimately requires the project to go ahead.

The development of the centre would see the construction of a new four-storey planetarium dome to the west of the north wing of the National Concert Hall at the boundary with the Iveagh Gardens.

It would have more than 200 purpose-built exhibits while the planetarium would incorporate a 15-metre dome and seating for 200.

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In a report on the future STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education in Irish schools, the Oireachtas committee singled out the centre as a priority.

Acknowledging the project has been “in gestation” for many years, it said opening it urgently would “send out a message that Ireland is very serious about science education for primary and post-primary students”.

It recommended that the centre receives a ring-fenced budget to ensure it can fulfil its mandate and that it liaises with the Department of Education so that it can play a “central role” in supporting STEM across school curriculums.

Professor Aine Hyland, who chairs the board of the centre, told the committee in April that the project is “now finally about to come to fruition”. She said Ireland was the only country in the OECD and EU not to have a national children’s science centre.

On the website of the centre, it said that “due to covid and unforeseen circumstances, construction on the facility is to begin towards the end of 2023”. It adds that we “hope to open our doors to you all towards the end of 2025”.