The Office of Public Works were presented with a brief of requirements from Department of Social Protection that would meet the immediate Department’s accommodation needs in the Monaghan area. These needs included a building that would accommodate the following:
- 32 number of staff
- Public and back office accommodation requirements (2-4 PSC Booths & 1 Interview Room, reception and a waiting area).
- Storage and communications rooms
- Staff toilets and rest room
- Canteen facilities, post/store room, etc.
The key considerations for the Department included, the need to ensure that all outstanding Health and Safety issues with the current/proposed building would be adequately addressed; the need to ensure that the existing/new building could serve the public (for taking Public Services Cards) and accommodate the additional staff that were being assigned to the unit. The provision of a Public Services Card Centre for the public in County Monaghan was an urgent business need of this Department. The OPW, our procurer of property, had other issues to be addressed, including resolving issues relating to the existing/new building, complying with the new Building Control Regulations 1997-2015, and the associated costs of any remedial or fit-out works.
The Department has not been lobbied or requested by any public representative or third party, to have these offices removed from Ballybay and placed in Monaghan town.
