Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to provide accommodation for the west Cork protective services unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43883/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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An Garda Síochána requested the Office of Public Works, OPW, to source additional accommodation in Bandon for a number of divisional teams which are being established in that area, namely, court presenters, duty and rostering management and protective services units. The OPW is liaising with An Garda Síochána to source a property solution to accommodate these units based on the brief of requirements received from the Garda, including both a review of existing State-owned properties in the area and a review of the wider local property market.

Representatives of the Office of Public Works and An Garda Síochána have visited those sites under active consideration. The OPW is now finalising a property assessment report, which identifies the available options. This will issue to An Garda Síochána for consideration shortly.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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This protective services unit has been planned for members of the Garda in the area for some time. They have been very keen to get that centre of excellence up and running for west Cork and to provide the best possible service for people in the region. There have been different inquiries into different sites, but it has been dragging on for quite some time. There are also questions about whether it will remain in Bandon or move to Macroom, where a new Garda station is being planned. I ask the Minister to clarify that. The timeline is very important because it has been going on for so long. We would like to see it advanced as quickly as possible so that the best service possible is available in the west Cork region, a huge region going from the coast around to north Cork, working closely with Tusla. Is it envisaged that they would both be in the same facility? How quickly can a decision be made on that?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the key issue that has confronted the OPW in dealing with this is the availability of properties to meet the different needs to which he has referred. I have been informed that this work began in November of last year and a full search of local property in Bandon took place to ensure that the various needs he has described are met. It appears at the moment that no such property is available. The district office staff members of the OPW were requested to commence an occupancy survey of the State-owned Garda station site itself, to see if it would be possible to extend those premises or make use of land there. This work is currently under way and a feasibility study is due to be carried out.

It was found that no other State-owned properties were available. A review of that is under way and local landlords and agents have been contacted. The OPW district office is now carrying out an architectural inspection of six different properties to see if it is possible to make use of them. There appears to be a lot of work under way in this regard. I acknowledge it is a matter that the Deputy wants to see resolved. It is now at the stage of visits to sites by fire officers. I hope one of these properties will yield a site suitable for the work to which the Deputy refers.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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12 o’clock

I thank the Minister for clarifying that. There is a great need to have it and I recognise considerable background work is being done on that. The Minister has indicated that there are a number of sites being considered. Are all of these sites Bandon based? Is the Minister also looking at the possibility of having it in Macroom, where it is proposed to build a new station? Perhaps the Minister could clarify where the various sites are, if they are Bandon based, and if there is a timeline laid down for that decision.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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On the particular question regarding the properties being Bandon or locally based, I am afraid I do not have the answer to that question available to me now. I will, however, ask the Office of Public Works, OPW, to respond directly to Deputy Moynihan on the matter.

The latest timeline I have refers to the work now under way by the OPW fire officer in assessing the safety of various sites. I understand the latest report issued on 4 October, which is less than a fortnight ago. The next stage is a property assessment report, PAR, that will look at all the different options, the costs and the timeframes for each of those.

The main point of the question related to where Bandon stands in this regard and I will ask the OPW to revert back to the Deputy on that.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sin deireadh le ceisteanna chuig an Aire Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Áthchóirithe. Rachaimid ar aghaidh chuig an chéad píosa gnó eile, Ceisteanna ó na Ceannairí.