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For Oral Answer on : 01/03/2022
Question Number(s): 115 Question Reference(s): 11407/22
Department: Public Expenditure and Reform
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION


To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the support provided by the Office of Public Works for the maintenance and development of Fota Wildlife Park, County Cork during the pandemic; the further supports that are expected to be provided to the park in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY



The Office of Public Works allocated a Capital Grant amount of one million euro to Fota Wildlife Park during 2021, this followed the decision by Government to provide capital grants to both Fota Wildlife Park and Dublin Zoo in recognition of the particularly adverse impacts of Covid 19 on their operations and the need for investment in their infrastructure.

The grant provided to Fota Wildlife Park was expended in full and was used to undertake works to the Park’s Monkey House 9 (Howler & Pelican) and Habitat, Columbian Black Spider Monkey House and Habitat and to Sea Wall Flood Protection on its southern boundary.

In September 2021, Fota Wildlife Park, jointly with Dublin Zoo, submitted a request for State support towards delivery of their separate 10-year capital development programmes. On foot of that request, my Office is providing a capital grant of €500,000 to Fota Wildlife Park for 2022. Fota expect to take up the full grant amount this year, which will be expended towards commencement of delivery of an Education, Conservation and Research Centre focussed on ‘Understanding our Sustainable Future’. The question of providing further support to Fota Wildlife Park, in support of the implementation of the Park’s Capital Development Programme in future years, will be considered in the context of the estimates for 2023 and beyond having regard to competing demands on the exchequer for capital resources.