Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Conway for bringing this matter to the attention of the Oireachtas and assure him that the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, will be made aware of his comments directly.

The property in question is leased by the OPW from Dublin City Council. It was originally leased from the local authority in 1972 for use as a Garda station. Following the completion of the more modern Garda station in Ballymun in August 2008, the property was vacated. The OPW is in consultation with the local authority with a view to surrendering the lease.

Any decision on the future use of this property is a matter for Dublin City Council.

On the State's property assets, the Government is committed to reforming property asset management in the public service to ensure value for the taxpayer. The stated policy for closed Garda stations is to identify, first, whether other State bodies, including Departments and the wider public sector, have a use for them. If no State requirement is identified, the OPW will consider disposing of the property on the open market in order to generate revenue for the Exchequer.

If a decision is taken not to dispose of a particular property, the OPW will consider community involvement, subject to the receipt of an appropriate business case which would indicate that the community or voluntary group has the means to insure, maintain and manage the property and there is no cost to the Exchequer in the short, medium or long term.