Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2010
1431 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in respect of the offices and properties which his Department are currently renting, if he would give a breakdown of all leasehold interests to include building size, current rent, lease terms, rent reviews, break options, landlord service charges, car parking and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32851/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1481 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the total number of offices and properties rented by his Department; their location and use; if his Department is occupying all of the office space currently rented; if not, the location of such office space and the length of time that this space has been unoccupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32836/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1431 and 1481 together.
In general, offices and properties occupied by the Department are rented by the OPW, rather than directly by the Department. Details of property rented directly are set out as follows.
The Department, at the end of 2009, entered into an arrangement whereby its National Monuments Service will occupy a proportion of an archival and storage facility as a sub-lessee of the National Museum of Ireland. This shared arrangement, in optimal accommodation and environmental conditions, will ensure satisfactory long-term preservation and protection of a range of valuable archaeological materials of common interest to both bodies. The Department's share of the rental costs, amounting to €105,000 for the period to the end of 2011, was paid to the National Museum of Ireland in December 2009. The Department's share of the running costs is likely to be in the order of €70,000 for 2011. Costs are allocated on the basis of floor space, with the National Monuments Service occupying 2,782 m2, which is 14% of the overall space. The terms of the sub-lease are currently being finalised and the National Monuments Service is currently in the process of moving archaeological material into the facility.
The Department pays €25,350 annually in rent and ancillary costs to the Department of Foreign Affairs in respect of its share of a premises occupied by Ireland's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. The costs are apportioned between relevant Departments on the basis of staff numbers assigned to the Representation and my Department does not hold records relating to the building size or the terms of the lease.
Met Éireann rents premises from Dublin Airport Authority at Dublin and Shannon Airports. Annual rental and service charge costs are approximately €45,521 and €17,864 respectively for an area of €130.6 m2 at Dublin Airport and €87,564 and €44,219 respectively for an area of 364.33 m2 at Shannon. Non-office space is also rented at Cork Airport with an annual rent of €1,239. No car parking is allocated in any of the locations. None of the aforementioned space is currently unoccupied.
The Department is also renting storage space in Galway and Cork. The costs associated with Galway are €1,200 per annum for the rental of a small storage unit, while the rental cost for the space in Cork, which is 520.26 m2, is €21,870.
