National History Museum still showing no sign of life 3 years later

Extra.ie​

4 days ago

The Government is unable to provide a start date for refurbishment works on the historic National History Museum – despite more than €1m having been spent on consultants since the project was given the green light more than three years ago.
And museum and Department of Arts and Culture officials are set to face a grilling from the Dáil spending watchdog over what has been described as the 'funereal' pace of the refurbishment works.
The National History Museum (NHM), located beside the Taoiseach's offices on Merrion Street, is a much-cherished part of Dublin's cultural identity. However, it has faced a series of temporary closures to allow for refreshment works to the dilapidated building over the past 15 years. The Government is unable to provide a start date for refurbishment works on the historic National History Museum. Pic: BOULENGER Xavier/Shutterstock
In 2010 the museum was forced to close its upper galleries because they were deemed to be unsafe for visitors to access.
Ten years later, it was temporarily shut again to facilitate the removal of whale skeletons suspended from the roof, and the packing and removal of 20,000-plus specimens.
The museum – popularly known as the 'Dead Zoo' – reopened in 2022, but only the ground floor was accessible to members of the public. On September 1 last year, the NHM was shut again for an extensive refurbishment to enable the full decant of specimens. More than €1m has been spent on consultants since the project was given the green light more than three years ago. Pic: BOULENGER Xavier/Shutterstock
But no date has been provided for when the NHM will be able to reopen amid growing political concerns over the length and the cost of the works. In January 2023, then Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Martin approved the commencement of the design phase for the refurbishment. However, the Arts and Culture Department has confirmed the works are still only at the 'pre-tender-project design, planning and procurement strategy phase'.
In response to parliamentary queries from Social Democrat TD Aidan Farrelly, the department now headed up by Minister Patrick O'Donovan confirmed €1.07m has been spent on the project since December 2022. The slow rate of progress has accelerated concerns within Government that the revamp could turn into what one Coalition source described as another 'Metro style project; something that lasts for years, never gets started, and the bill just keeps going up.' Minister Patrick O'Donovan. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
Of the €1.07m costs since December 2022, €735,316 was spent on 'external consultants and contractors'. The largest single bill among the 30-plus companies who invoiced the department for work during the preliminary stage was for €282,900, which was paid to 'the tourism company' T/A Sherwood & Associates for 'Project Coordination Service'.
Another company, O'Kennedy Fundraising Services Limited, was paid €89,579.37.
In his parliamentary question, Deputy Farrelly sought an update on the NHM refurbishment and the date when it is 'expected to reopen'. He also asked Minister O'Donovan if he or his officials had been made aware of any 'issues, difficulties, challenges or areas of concern' relating to the works. But three and a half years later, the Minister was unable to provide a completion or even a commencement date.
Mr O'Donovan said: 'The development of a complex project such as this is based on a thorough business case process, a detailed design and the input of specialist expertise. This means the redevelopment of the museum is taking place in line within the framework of the Infrastructure Guidelines, set out by the Department of Public Expenditure.' The National History Museum (NHM), located beside the Taoiseach's offices on Merrion Street, is a much-cherished part of Dublin's cultural identity. Pic: BOULENGER Xavier/Shutterstock
The Minister noted the department, together with the OPW and National Museum of Ireland, 'have an agreed structure for the institutional oversight, governance and operational arrangements for the redevelopment programme.'
However, the Kildare North TD and member of the Dáil spending watchdog was not impressed with the pace of the museum refurbishment works and he told the Irish Mail on Sunday: 'I will be referring this to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for scrutiny.'
The OPW has found itself in the public spotlight over a series of overspending controversies including the €336,000 allocated for a Dáil bicycle shed; €1.4m spent on a security 'hut' at Government Buildings, and €490,000 of taxpayers' money on a 70m wall outside the Workplace Relations Commission headquarters.
Mr Farrelly added: 'What we don't want is a repeat of the bicycle shed and the wall. There are serious question marks over the capacity of certain organisations to deliver. The PAC and the project is an opportunity for the OPW and the Department to prove they have learnt their lessons.'
The MoS sought details of the total spending on works at the NHM since it was forced to close its upper galleries back in 2010, but the OPW and the department were unable to provide an overall figures. An OPW spokesperson would only say: 'The Natural History Museum refurbishment project is currently in the initial project design phase. Last year architects Fitzgerald Kavanagh & Partners were appointed to lead the integrated design team. An extensive and comprehensive decant of the collection was required in advance of any investigative works.