Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are doing so. Since I assumed my role, that is one of the actions we have been taking. Our local authorities are not exactly jumping through hoops to take them on, though. We have been at pains to get local authorities to take over some of these buildings even though they are in towns and villages that have local authority waiting lists. Some of the buildings will require conservation architects and have difficulties associated with them. In many cases, the situation is not straightforward. Some of the buildings are in isolated locations, require a great deal of money or need communities to take them on with a liability. The Deputy knows as well as I do that, in many cases, if one takes on a listed building, one also takes on a liability. To get a community to take on such a building is a challenge. This is not for the want of trying by the OPW. We have asked the HSE, local authorities and every other State body to take on these buildings, but we are finding it difficult.