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State Properties

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 June 2022

Thursday, 16 June 2022

Ceisteanna (112)

Brian Leddin

Ceist:

112. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for Sarsfield House in Limerick city given its embodied carbon and potential for repurposing and retrofit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31327/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

In the context of the Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick, a range of City Centre Transformational Projects were put in place to enhance and enable the urban regeneration of Limerick City. One of the key objectives for Limerick City & Co Council is to build upon the City Centre’s historic character by fully capturing the rich heritage, protecting and enhancing it where appropriate and complementing it with world class design for any new development. Central to Limerick City & County’s masterplan for the city is the development of the Opera project to bring much needed activity, employment, social facilities and life back into the city centre. Limerick City & Co Council has tasked Limerick 2030 with the development of the Opera project.

In 2014, following on from the publication of the Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick, the Government decided in principle, to the relocation of the Revenue Commissioners from their existing offices in Sarsfield House to new offices that will form part of the major Opera, urban regeneration scheme being developed in Limerick city centre.

Sarsfield House was constructed in the early 1970’s and comprises of an approximate gross area of 7,900 square meters of office accommodation over six floors. As a building suitable for modern, 21st century working, Sarsfield House does not meet required energy efficiency standards and is, in effect, at end of life. The OPW is very mindful of the continuing requirement to provide suitable accommodation of a sustainable nature to the 800 Revenue Commissioner occupants in Sarsfield House. The condition of the building is such that it does not meet the standards expected from a modern workplace. It is the OPW’s understanding that the property will be utilised by Limerick City & County Council as part of a public amenity area that will aid the regeneration of the inner city and significantly enhance the natural environment of the city. This property footprint will become an essential part of the overall greening of the locality to allow for the development of the public realm and the transition to a more sustainable eco-friendly environment.

The Office of Public Works, and the Revenue Commissioners, continue to work with Limerick City & County Council and Limerick 2030, to give effect to the Government decision and to ensure the new Opera site will provide a modern, energy efficient office building that will meet the long-term requirements of the Revenue Commissioners and other OPW clients in Limerick city centre. Limerick City & County Council and Limerick 2030 have fully committed to ensuring that the Opera building will be constructed to the highest sustainable and environmental standards.

The Government’s Climate Action Plan requires that all public buildings meet carbon reduction targets by 2030 and accord with all prevailing EU regulatory provisions. The OPW’s existing office accommodation portfolio has a disproportionate amount of buildings dating from the early 1950’s to the early 1990’s. Those aging assets are at, or near, the end of their useful lives. The buildings to be retained in the portfolio, to meet existing and future public service workforce needs, are therefore in need of major investment to significantly reduce their carbon footprint in line with Government and EU climate action requirements.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan recently published by the Government identifies advancing the green transition as a top priority and allocates significant funding towards decarbonising projects such as the retrofitting of public office accommodation. The OPW is deeply committed to helping advance sustainable solutions that mitigate against climate change, including through the new Public Sector Retrofit Pathfinder Project as well as through a Public Service Innovation Fund project, which will develop guidelines for the deep energy renovation of historic public sector properties. The Office of Public Works is partnered with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on the pathfinder programme.

The Office of Public Works are completing the final stages of the development of guidance on the Roadmap for the use of lower carbon materials in construction . The document outlines key areas of guidance for lower-carbon building materials in construction supported by examples of best practice in this area. The use of lower carbon building materials in construction will play an important role in reducing our emission by 51% by 2030.

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