John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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457. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of vacant buildings in her Department’s ownership or control; the locations of same; and the time they have been unoccupied in each case. [17927/17]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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473. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount spent across her Department over the past five years on maintaining vacant or unused State-owned properties, including security arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18722/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 473 together.

As I have advised the House in response to previous Questions, the management of properties occupied by staff of my Department is primarily a matter for the Office of Public Works.

However, my Department is the owner of significant lands across the country, including national parks, national monuments sites, nature reserves and other property acquired for purposes of heritage protection and conservation.

Wherever possible, all buildings on these lands owned by the Department, for example within the six National Parks, are maintained in active use either as office and research facilities, stores, visitor centres or in some cases as residential accommodation for staff.

Such buildings may become vacant from time to time pending refurbishment. Maintenance and security costs in respect of all properties are treated as an integral part of the management of these properties and I am advised that, while discrete costs in respect of individual properties are not readily identifiable from within operational budgets, no significant additional expenditure has been incurred in respect of vacant properties in the period in question.