Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Public Accounts Committee

Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts 2024
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2024
Chapter 5 - Development of a Proposed National Science Centre
Chapter 6 - The OPW's Management of Office Accommodation

2:00 am

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Mr. Conlon had to at a certain point, I get that. I did just want to reference that. I know that in the context, once it happened, it happened. The point is that was something I want to be conscious of too.

I will move to a couple of other areas. I want to focus on and ask a question about leases because it speaks to what Deputy Murphy was discussing. We are in that space where people are working from home and I completely get that, and we have occupancy. As was also acknowledged, and Mr. Neville said it himself, as the State has expanded in its services and, obviously, there is a need for more buildings, have we looked at how, in an evolving situation, there has been any kind of link-up between the different Departments on how we might look at how properties and office leases might work, with Departments - I will not say cohabiting - coming together so that, rather than having, we will say, 15 offices half-empty, we have seven and a half that are fully utilised? Obviously, I am being simplistic in that sort of reference, but at the same time, in general, I think that point does apply.

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