New horizons for forensic science in Ireland

The Office of Public Works delivers modern new premises for Forensic Science Ireland, with the single biggest investment in forensic science in the history of the state.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) today (Thursday 21 March) is proud to participate in the official opening of the brand new, state-of-the-art facility for Forensic Science Ireland (FSI).

FSI was established in 1975 to provide a scientific service to the Criminal Justice System, by analysing samples submitted from crime scenes and providing expert evidence in criminal trials.

The OPW has designed and built a facility that allows FSI to do their work in an environment that is tailor made for forensic science. The design allows for a secure, controlled intake and return of evidentiary exhibits and efficient movement throughout the building to undergo the required examination and analysis needed.

Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Patrick O’Donovan said:

>"Today marks the biggest single investment in forensic science in the country. It is an investment in Ireland’s future and an acknowledgement of the ever-increasing relevance of forensic services in our justice system. We now have one of the elite forensic analysis facilities in Europe, designed and delivered by the Office of Public Works team, who work tirelessly to deliver important infrastructure projects like this, on behalf of the people of Ireland."

The key to the approach was to tailor the functionality of the OPW generic laboratory layout with the specific operation requirements of the FSI. We developed a layout of the building, which was a hub and spoke design that allows for a secure controlled intake and return of evidentiary exhibits.

Director General of FSI, Chris Enright said:

>“The level of detailed engineering design that has gone into this building is truly remarkable. The OPW have managed to optimise our capacity for delivery, while also providing a beautiful working environment for staff. This new building opens up new horizons for forensic services in the country, it provides a space to grow and increase capacity to meet the demands in front of us. This is the biggest single investment in forensic science in the country, and we are thrilled with the results."

One major factor that was encapsulated in the design, was to consider the site and determine the relative relationship between them both, as co-partners together. We set out in the masterplan a particular approach to the surrounding landscape. All the soil was to be kept on site, the flooding problem to be resolved and the creation of sustainable biospheres into the future. All have been achieved.

The 13,000 M² facility is strategically located in the Backweston Campus outside Celbridge in Co. Kildare, alongside Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the State Laboratory.

It is purpose built and designed to the latest ISO (International Standards Organisation) standards, providing state of the art facilities for the recovery and analysis of trace evidence as well as FSI’s broad range of functions including chemical analysis, physical analysis and DNA & Biological Analysis services. It will thus help FSI take full advantage of evolving DNA and other technologies in criminal investigations and support of Missing Person investigations.

The construction of this new, fit-for-purpose building at the Backweston Campus, Celbridge started in March 2020 and was completed in July 2023. The State Laboratory and offices & laboratories of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) are based on the same campus and construction of a new Government Data Centre on campus is also underway.

For further information, please contact pressoffice@opw.ie

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