Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 355: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 22 June 2005, the name and location of the Garda stations of the list of 703 referred to that require rebuilding, updating or replacement; if a list of priority buildings exists; the position of Ballyvary, Castlebar on this list; if it is on current estimates of the spending of €112 million before the end of 2007, if Ballyvary Garda station will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23237/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I assure the Deputy that all Garda accommodation is continually under review to ensure that it meets the operational requirements of the Garda Síochána. Where it does not, then the required refurbishment or construction works are completed by the Office of Public Works — which has responsibility for the vast majority of Garda properties — with all due urgency and in accordance with overall priorities within the Garda building programme and the availability of financial and other resources.

In that regard, significant funding is provided each year by the Office of Public Works for the Garda capital building programme, with an estimated €10 million allocated in 2005 alone. As indicated in my previous reply, the board has indicated that it plans to spend of the order of €112 million before the end of 2007 on a wide range of Garda projects including, for example, major works in Ballymun, Ballyshannon, Claremorris and Ballina. This figure does not include additional funding to provide new accommodation requirements for the Garda college in Templemore arising from the increased number of recruits to bring the strength of the force up to 14,000 and various other Garda building projects. There is also a separate provision of more than €7 million in the Garda Vote in 2005 to meet ongoing maintenance of Garda stations such as painting and minor repairs.

A survey of the Garda property portfolio was carried out on behalf of the Office of Public Works to determine and list the properties considered to be economically maintainable and those considered to be uneconomic to repair. Following that survey, the Office of Public Works last year ran a pilot equity exchange programme of eight Garda stations in Counties Limerick and Tipperary, following consultation with my Department and the Garda authorities. The programme was developed to test the feasibility of exchanging clusters of small Garda stations which cannot be viably maintained in return for new modern station facilities. It was intended to extend this programme to other small Garda stations such as Ballyvary.

I understand from the Office of Public Works, however, that the level of interest expressed was not adequate to meet the requirements of the programme and that the Commissioners of Public Works are now considering alternative approaches. Until the Office of Public Works has concluded its deliberations, I am not in a position to indicate when Ballyvary station will be addressed. In the meantime, the Commissioners of Public Works will undertake any essential maintenance works necessary to stations.