Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number and location of empty buildings owned by the State; the cost to the Exchequer per annum of each of these buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43385/12]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost to the State per annum of unused buildings owned by the State in terms of maintenance, security, insurance and any other relevant costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43384/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 30 together.

The property portfolio of the State covers lands and buildings owned or leased by a wide variety of organisations, including local authorities, organisations such as the Health Services Executive and non-commercial State bodies such as the Industrial Development Authority and SFADCo. It would be necessary for the Deputy to obtain the information he requires from the different organisations concerned.

However, in regard to the civil service, I can inform the Deputy that the Office of Public Works’ property portfolio consists of approximately 2,200 buildings, of which some 60% are State owned and the remainder leased. The contraction in numbers employed in the public service generally has resulted in reduced accommodation requirements over the past number of years. This factor, along with the policy of the Garda authorities to close selected Garda Stations throughout the country, has resulted in a significant increase in the number of vacant buildings in the portfolio.

Currently, there are approximately 100 vacant State owned buildings in the Office of Public Works’ portfolio. Of these, 47 are former Garda Stations and the rest comprise mainly former custom posts and coastguard stations. These properties are currently being considered for alternate State use. If no such requirement arises they will be included in a disposal programme. Proposals for community use will be considered on a case by case basis. The Office of Public Works is, in fact, already engaging with the community in relation to these types of properties, as is evidenced by the recent licensing of the former Garda Station in Finglas to a community creche.

In the time available, it has not been possible to collate data on the cost of maintenance, security etc. for the individual vacant buildings in the Office of Public Works’ portfolio. However, if the Deputy had particular queries in relation to any specific building, the Office would seek to facilitate him in that regard.