James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. The Taoiseach will be familiar with the Baggot Street hospital. It is an iconic building in the middle of Baggot Street that, scandalously, has been left vacant for a number of years by the HSE. The HSE told us and local residents that it had been placed on the OPW disposal register, which, as it was explained to me, means every Government Department and State body would be offered an opportunity to put that building into reuse. TheJournal.ie reported yesterday that the Department of housing said it has never been offered use of this building. Now the HSE has put it on the open market. I and with residents across the area want to see this being put into an active use, but they will be horrified and scandalised if it is the case the Department of housing never explored whether it could be put to use for housing. We need absolute clarity and certainty on that because this has gone on for some time. There is an opportunity to redevelop the front part of that hospital and put it into active use. We just need clarity on that from the Minister for housing.

See this speech in context