Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the property in Blarney, I am not clear where the officials got their information. My information is that the property was vacant for over 20 years. Maybe somebody was put down as occupying it but the reality is that it was vacant. The current Garda sergeant in Blarney, with whom I engaged on this matter, was not even aware that such a property existed; indeed, no garda currently serving in Blarney was aware of it because it was so long out of use.I started dealing with the issue more than 12 months ago and I am concerned that the OPW does not conduct a regular review of the use of its properties. Clearly, the OPW has identified 45 properties that could be put to better use. We had a downturn in the economy and nothing seems to have been done to deal with the issue between 2011 and 2014 when we needed property to be made available. I welcome the Minister of State's reply because at least the matter is being dealt with now. The OPW should carry out a review of the property it owns at least once every two years to identify whether it is being used efficiently. If it is not being used efficiently, we need a long-term plan and engagement with other State agencies to ensure it can be put into use. We need to put a structure in place to deal with the matter.