Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
180. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will sell the old Garda station in Bunbeg, County Donegal directly to Donegal County Council for use as a site for social housing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45179/23]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) manages a property portfolio in excess of 2,500 properties ranging from heritage buildings, commercial office blocks, green field sites, warehouses, Coast Guard Stations and Garda Stations. As would be the norm in such a large portfolio, at any given time, there will be a number of properties being refurbished or vacant. The State will always retain a number of vacant properties for future use. 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 disposal policy with regard to non-operational (vacant) State property is to:
1. Identify if the property is required/suitable for alternative State use by either Government Departments or the wider public sector.
2. If there is no other State use identified for a property, the OPW will then consider disposing of the property on the open market if and when conditions prevail, in order to generate revenue for the Exchequer.
3. If no State requirement is identified or if a decision is taken not to dispose of a particular property, the OPW may consider community involvement (subject to a detailed written submission, which would indicate that the community/voluntary group has the means to insure, maintain and manage the property and that there are no ongoing costs for the Exchequer).
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, NDP Deliver and Reform (DPENDPR) 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
In line with the above policy, the OPW sought alternative State use for the former Garda station at Bunbeg with other Government Departments, State Agencies and the wider public sector, including Donegal County Council, but no requirement was identified.
As no alternative State use was identified for the former Garda Station at Bunbeg, the property is being offered for sale by public auction on 3 November 2023.
