Annual Report 2005 - The Office of Public Works

Total Expenditure by Special Projects Unit in 2005 was E39.4M.
Completed In Progress Planning Permission/ PPP
Tender Stage
Relocation of the
Department of
Agriculture & Food
Laboratories
(Agrilabs) from
Abbotstown to
Backweston
Relocation of the
Marine Institute HQ
to Galway.
Provision of
Accommodation for
the Department of
Finance at 7-9
Merrion Row (Main
Contract)
National Conference
Centre
Provision of
Accommodation for
the Department of
Finance at 7-9
Merrion Row
(Enabling Works)
Proposed
HeustonGate
Development at
John's Road/Military
Rd. sites.
Department of
Agriculture & Food
Farm Facility at
Longtown, Clane, Co.
Kildare
Assay Office
Mountjoy Prison
redevelopment
Provision of office
accommodation for
the Department of
Agriculture & Food at
Backweston.
EXPO 2005
Expo 2005, celebrating 'Nature’s Wisdom', took place at Aichi, Japan from March to
September 2005.
Ireland's participation was led by the Department of the Taoiseach. OPW was asked
by the Department of the Taoiseach to manage the construction and fit-out aspects of the
project.
The centrepiece of the Ireland Pavilion was a selection of six replicas of High Crosses on loan
from the National Museum. The original crosses date from the 6th - 12th century. The replicas
were made in the late 19th / early 20th century and had to be rebuilt and repaired for display
in Japan. The rich imagery on the crosses provided the inspiration for a multimedia exhibition
in the Pavilion that presented a 5,000 year continuum of Irish creativity.
The Crosses were repaired and restored at the National Museum in Collins Barracks. They
were shipped to Japan in 27 crates and reassembled in the Pavilion by OPW and National
Museum staff. OPW BMS staff repaired and rebuilt the Crosses in such a way that they could
be returned to the National Museum in Ireland when the Expo closed.
In addition to the Crosses, the Pavilion presented replicas of other Irish treasures such as the
Cross of Cong and the Book of Kells which were contrasted with contemporary Irish painting,
sculpture, architecture, craft, fashion, literature, theatre, film and music. An audio-visual space
presented a range of important Irish environmental initiatives.
All aspects of the construction of the Pavilion were co-ordinated and directed by the OPW.
The exhibition was designed and prepared by Martello Media, Sandycove, Co. Dublin and
constructed by Asatsu-DK Inc, Japan.
The Department of the Taoiseach set a budget of 4m for EXPO 2005. This included the
design, construction and maintenance of the exhibition, staff costs in the Irish Pavilion up to
the end of September 2005 and funding of the cultural programme throughout the Expo
operational period.
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