asked the Minister for Finance when the two garda houses at Shantonagh, Castleblayney, County Monaghan, were last occupied; and the plans he has for their future use.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - County Monaghan Garda Houses.
16.
One of the houses was last occupied on 13 November 1973 and the other on 17 November 1977. These houses were retained on the instructions of the Department of Justice for possible use as a Garda station in the event of an alternative site for a new station not being secured in the area. However, a more suitable site for the new station is being considered and on the instructions of the Department, the Commissioners of Public Works are now arranging to dispose of the houses.
How does the Minister justify the fact that houses that were relatively newly built — I am sure the Minister has on his file the date on which they were built — remained vacant, one since 13 November 1973, almost 12 years, and the other has been vacant since 1977, almost eight years? I am sure the Minister is aware that there have been numerous inquiries from persons in the locality who were willing to either buy or rent the houses in that period. Therefore how can the Minister justify the fact that those houses were left vacant for so long? Furthermore, is he aware that both are at present rat infested?
The Department of Justice advised the Commissioners of Public Works in June 1984 that they were no longer required. After that the Department of Justice had to circularise all other Departments to ascertain whether they might be required by them. That refers to all property and accommodation they have on hand. No Government Department expressed an interest and, as the properties are now surplus to State requirements it is proposed to dispose of them. As the purchase of the new site for a Garda station has not been finalised we were not rushing. We only received instructions during 1984.
The fundamental question arises here of State property and the income that might be derived from it. The Minister tells us now that 11 years after one of these houses remained vacant his Department were informed by the Department of Justice that they had no further interest in them. That was in June 1984. Furthermore, the Minister said that there is an obligation on him to ask all other Departments if they have any use for the houses. At a time when we all recognise that finance is scarce, particularly for the public service, surely there must be some way of expediting the sale of these houses in order to ensure that the maximum income will be derived from them? It is totally unjustified that they remained vacant for so long. Surely they should have been let to somebody if it was necessary to keep them. Now that the Minister has received word back from the other Departments that they have no further use for the houses what has he done to ensure their expeditious disposal? For example, has he offered them to Monaghan County Council?
We shall be advertising the houses for public tender as soon as possible. I might add that we received a reply from the other Departments only quite recently.
Will this take place within the next week or two?
Within weeks.
Would the Minister agree that that has been the excuse advanced over the last 12 months, that the Department were considering how they would be offered, whether for sale or put out to tender, and also that they were considering the site for a new Garda station? Is it not true to say that that Garda station will be far removed from those houses? Is it not true also to say that they have not any intention at all of purchasing a site or erecting a station in that area?
I do not think there has been any question of an excuse over the last 12 months. If anything, such excuse would have been advanced since 1973 because it must be remembered that one of these houses has been vacant since 1973 and the other since 1977. Therefore many excuses must have been advanced on occasion and they were not by me.
Who was the Minister at that time?
The reason the Department of Justice did not say they had relinquished interest in the properties — as advanced to me — was that the site might have to be used for the erection of some sort of barracks in the area because while it is not adjacant thereto it is in the same area. That is the explanation given to me and no doubt it is the same as that advanced by junior Ministers over the years.