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Departmental Offices

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Ceisteanna (391)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

391. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of offices currently being rented or in ownership of his Department that are currently not in use by the Department. [51126/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The 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, garda stations, 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:

1. Circular 11/2015: Protocols for the Transfer and Sharing of State Property Assets

2. 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 either for 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.

There are no leased/rented office buildings that are not in use. 

The properties listed in the attached Appendix refer to vacant office buildings owned by the Commissioners of Public Works or Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that are currently not in use.  As a matter of course, the use or disposal of these properties are being considered in line with the OPW's policy as set out above.  

No

County

Building

Current status

1

Cork

Clonakilty former agricultural offices

Alternative State use being examined with client

2

Cork

Old Blackrock Road

Alternative State use being examined

3

Dublin

44 O'Connell Street

Retained as part of strategic plans for Metro development

4

Dublin

45 O'Connell street

Retained as part of strategic plans for Metro development

5

Limerick

Cecil Street

Intra State transfer to Limerick County Council

6

Louth

Drogheda - 62/63 West Street

Intra State transfer to Louth County Council

7

Meath

Navan (Kells Road)

Intra State transfer to Meath County Council

8

Waterford

Customs House

Alternative State use being examined

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