I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works (CPW) that the policy with regard to non-operational (vacant) State property, including the former Garda stations is to:
1. Identify if the property is required/suitable for alternative State use by both Government departments and the wider public sector.
2. If there is no other State use identified for a property, the Office of Public Works (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 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 Office of Public Works, in consultation with other State Agencies, identified alternative State uses for the eight properties listed in the table. There was no advertising process and the various State Bodies communicating with each other identified the alternatives uses. The relevant change of use planning is a matter for the new occupants of the properties.
Properties Retained or Under Consideration for Alternative State use (8)
|
No.
|
Name of Property and Location
|
Alternative State Use
|
|
1.
|
Former Garda Station, Barrack Street, Cork
|
Cork City Council
|
|
2.
|
Former Garda Station, Harcourt Terrace, Dublin
|
Department of Education and Skills for the construction of a new primary School.
|
|
3.
|
Former Garda Station, Kill, Co. Kildare
|
South West Kildare Partnership
|
|
4.
|
Former Garda Station, Loughlynn, Co. Roscommon
|
HSE for an Ambulance Base
|
|
5.
|
Former Garda Station, Mary Street, Limerick
|
Limerick City and County Council
|
|
6.
|
Former Garda Station, Shanaglish, Galway
|
National Monuments Depot
|
|
7.
|
Former Garda Station, Valentia Island, Co. Kerry
|
Irish Coastguard
|
|
8.
|
Former Garda Station, Whitehall, Dublin
|
State Pathologist and Dublin City Coroner.
|
Following the closure of the 139 Garda stations as part of An Garda Síochána’s rationalisation programme announced in An Garda Síochána’s 2012 and 2013 Policing Plans, numerous community groups seeking to secure the former Garda station properties for community use approached the Office of Public Works.
The twelve community groups identified below were licensed to use the properties for community use, on the basis of a detailed application to the Commissioners of Public Works. The application process had to satisfy the Commissioners that each community group had the means to insure, maintain and manage the properties. In each case, there is a clause in the licence that, should there be a future State requirement for the property, the State can regain the use of the property.
The relevant change of use planning is a matter for each of the community groups to secure.
Assigned for Community Use (12)
|
No.
|
Name of Property and Location
|
Community Group
|
|
1.
|
Former Garda Station, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry
|
Coiste Forbartha na Sceilge.
|
|
2.
|
Former Garda Station, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo
|
Ballycastle Development Company.
|
|
3.
|
Former Garda Station, Beaufort, Co. Kerry
|
Beaufort Community Council.
|
|
4.
|
Former Garda Station, Castletownsend. Co. Cork
|
Castlehaven Nursing Association.
|
|
5.
|
Former Garda Station, Cootehall, Co. Roscommon
|
Cootehall Community Development Group.
|
|
6.
|
Former Garda Station, Donard, Co. Wicklow
|
Cumann Croise Deirge na hÉireann/Glen of Imaal (Red Cross) Mountain Rescue.
|
|
7.
|
Former Garda Station, Glenisland, Co. Mayo
|
Glenisland Development Group.
|
|
8.
|
Former Garda Station, Kilgarvan, Co. Kerry
|
Kilgarvan Tidy Towns.
|
|
9.
|
Former Garda Station, Kilmeedy, Co. Limerick
|
Kilmeedy Community Development Group.
|
|
10.
|
Former Garda Station, Mulranny, Co. Mayo
|
Mulranny Community Futures Association.
|
|
11.
|
Former Garda Station, Rush, Co. Dublin
|
Rush Musical Society.
|
|
12.
|
Former Garda Station, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo
|
Coiste Cultúr, Teanga agus Forbartha Thuar Mhic Éadaigh Teo.
|
