Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
272. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide full list of properties which are vacant and are either owned or being rented by the Office of Public Works by county; the amount of rent paid to date on those vacant rented properties in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6739/22]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility on behalf of the State for managing and maintaining a substantial and complex estate - comprising approximately 2,500 properties - valued at €3.3bn.
This extensive and diverse portfolio of State properties includes office accommodation for all Government Departments, the property estate for An Garda Síochána and numerous properties for many State Agencies. The portfolio also encompasses specialised spaces such as public offices, laboratories and cultural institutions, in addition to warehouses, heritage properties, visitor centres and sites.
In any major portfolio, there will always be a certain level of vacant properties. It is normal to have an amount of space vacant, or vacant properties, at any given time as the portfolio could not function without the flexibility that it provides. Not all vacant properties will be deemed surplus to the State’s requirements or deemed suitable for disposal.
The OPW, like other State bodies, is obliged to follow central Government policies on the disposal of surplus properties. The arrangements involved are set out in the following Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) Circulars:
- Circular 11/2015: Protocols for the Transfer and Sharing of State Property Assets
- Circular 17/2016: Policy for Property Acquisition and for Disposal of Surplus Property
As a matter of policy, no property or site is disposed of until there is absolute certainty that there is no alternative State use for that property.
The OPW’s approach to managing vacant properties is firstly, to establish if the property is required for alternative State use, including the potential for it to be re-purposed for either Government Departments or the wider public service. A number of strategic properties or sites are retained in anticipation of potential State use/development in line with service demands arising from Government policy changes to public service provision.
Secondly, if no State use is identified, the OPW considers if open market disposal is an option, depending on prevailing market conditions.
Thirdly, the OPW may consider community involvement, subject to a detailed submission that demonstrates that the community or voluntary group seeking to use the property has the means to insure, maintain and manage it in order to reduce costs to the Exchequer.
I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that there are currently 68 vacant surplus buildings and 31 surplus sites in its ownership. Of the 68 vacant surplus buildings, over half of these are former Garda stations that closed under the 2012/2013 policing plans of An Garda Síochána.
As of February 2022, there are 36 former Garda station buildings closed under the 2012 and 2013 Policing Plans that are under consideration for alternative State use, disposal or community use. Of the remainder of non-operational or vacant buildings listed in the Appendix, and sites, a number are in the process of being transferred to Local Authorities, being considered/prepared for disposal, are under consideration for community use or are being retained for alternative State use.
During 2022, subject to pandemic restrictions, there are four auctions planned with further auctions planned for 2023.
The current status of surplus and vacant buildings (68) and sites (31) is in Appendix 1 attached.
There are no vacant leased properties on which the OPW pays rent.
