Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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164. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department was refurbished recently; the work done; and the cost. [2298/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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This issue has already been discussed in this House at Estimates time last year.

My Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform share the office space in the South Block of Government Buildings.

In 2014 the Office of Public Works (OPW) conducted an investigation of the Building and concluded that a full electrical rewiring and upgrade of the fire systems was necessary as a matter of urgency. In particular some electrical equipment was found to be in a very dangerous state.

OPW commenced a tender process in July 2015 and the project has started and will continue until Autumn 2016. The project includes the replacement of old electrical fittings with energy saving appliances and a complete electrical rewiring, which in turn necessitates plastering, repainting and redecorating. Fire prevention systems are being upgraded to current standards.

The project provides the opportunity for some restoration works for the South Block part of the historic Government Buildings complex. Some non-structural partitions are also being removed to optimise office space utilisation. Given the historic nature of the Building, conservation architects from OPW are overseeing the project and OPW is sharing the total cost of the project with the two departments in 2015 and 2016. The total cost of the project is approximately €4 million. 

If the current programme of works were not carried out, then both Departments may have needed to vacate the building on health and safety grounds and seek office space elsewhere in the vicinity at additional cost.