My Department does not own any land in County Meath. With the exception of the Office of Public Works (OPW), this is also the case for the bodies under the aegis of my Department.
The OPW manages a diverse property portfolio, on behalf of the State, which includes office accommodation, Garda stations, heritage properties and visitors centres. In County Meath, the Commissioners of Public Works (CPW) own a number of heritage properties with associated land at Trim Castle, Newgrange, the Hill of Tara and the Oldbridge Estate, all of which are open to the public. The CPW also own land in Stirrupstown, Clonmellon. The land, consisting of approximately half an acre, is leased with eighteen years left to run on the lease.
As part of an internal system of information sharing, the OPW highlights to other State bodies all properties, including land, that it considers surplus to its requirements. Information on such surplus properties is available to Meath County Council.
As a matter of policy, no property is disposed of on the open market until other State bodies, including the local authority sector, are advised of its availability. If the Council express an interest, then there is a mechanism for the transfer of that land to Meath County Council at a value set independently by the Valuation Office.
This mechanism was introduced in 2015 and the OPW has used it to transfer land to Meath County Council.
In addition, the OPW engages with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government on the potential use of land in public ownership.
