Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

28. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of vacant properties in ownership of or under the control of his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department; the number of properties which are brown field sites that could be used for residential development; the number of properties that are vacant dwellings or properties that could be used for dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13126/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Commissioners of Public Works manage a large and diverse, property portfolio of over 2,500 properties on behalf of the State. Primarily these are commercial properties and range from office accommodation to heritage properties, visitor centres, Garda stations, warehouses, etc. At present, the OPW owns or manages in the region of 96 properties (buildings) and 32 sites (land) – a total of 128 - that are currently vacant.

Vacant Properties (Buildings) Currently there are 96 buildings vacant in the OPW property portfolio. Of these 96 properties, 48 (50%) are Garda stations that were closed under the 2012/2013 policing plans of An Garda Síochána. An interim report from the Policing Authority subsequently identified six of the closed stations for re-opening. A further review is being conducted by An Garda Síochána relating to the remaining stations. The future use of these other, former Garda stations can only be determined once this further review is concluded.

Of the remaining 48 properties that are vacant at present:

- 22 are in the process of being transferred to local authorities or are under consideration for transfer

- 10 are being considered/prepared for disposal

- 1 is under consideration for community use

- 15 are being retained for alternative State use or for strategic purposes

Sites (Land)OPW own 32, currently vacant, sites that range in size from a plot of ground measuring 300 square metres to one site of 31 acres. These sites were acquired over the years for a variety of uses including: customs posts, met stations; sites for the Courts Service or An Garda Síochána. They also include sites acquired for the purposes of the legacy, decentralisation programme for Government Departments/Offices.

A total of 12 of these sites have been identified as being suitable for transfer to relevant State bodies or are being retained for future State development. The future use, or disposal of the remaining 20 is under consideration. As a matter of policy, no property is disposed of on the open market until other State bodies, including the Local Authority sector, are advised of their availability for use. All property use is contingent on the necessary planning permissions being in place. In terms of zoning or re-zoning these sites/land, it is a matter for the relevant local authorities to determine in line with their own Local Area Plans.

Dwellings and LodgesIn addition to these properties, there are sundry dwellings or lodges that are intrinsic to the estates of National Parks and Gardens throughout the country and are managed by the Office of Public Works. In general, these dwellings or lodges are allocated to staff where there is a requirement for officials to be present on the ground, for example, Park Rangers, Deer Keepers, security personnel etc.In other cases, they have been licensed for use as Tea Rooms, as part of Visitor Services on Heritage Sites or for use by the Irish Landmark Trust.

At present, there are approx. 20 of these properties currently vacant around the country that are in poor condition and not habitable from a health and safety or security viewpoint. Additional information on the status of these properties was provided in a written Parliamentary Question answered by my colleague, Minister of State Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran on Tuesday, 14 November, 2017.

Properties available for social housingThe provision of social/affordable and emergency residential accommodation is a function that rests with the local authorities and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. Properties owned or managed by the OPW are primarily commercial offices, Garda stations, warehouses or others that are not suited to residential use. The OPW however has actively engaged with that Department in providing information on any non-operational, vacant properties or sites in its ownership. The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government then assesses those properties or sites in terms of what might be suitable for residential use.

The OPW periodically reviews its own portfolio to ensure that any void or vacant properties are correctly categorised. As a matter of course, the OPW provides information on its non-operational properties and sites to the relevant authorities/housing agencies, for assessment. In the past 2 years this process has identified a number of properties as being feasible for adaption for residential use. These include:

- 8 residential units in Dublin City Centre that were transferred to Dublin City Council for use by the Peter McVerry Trust

- A property in Crumlin, Dublin that is now licensed to Dublin City Council for use as a Family Hub

- A property in the North inner city, Dublin that is in the process of being transferred to Dublin City Council for use by the Peter McVerry Trust

A further 15 properties are currently being considered in terms of their potential for investment and adaptation for social housing. These include:

- 7 properties and 1 site that are under consideration by Cork County Council

- 5 properties that are under consideration by Tipperary County Council

- 3 properties that are under consideration by Limerick City & County Council.

Aside from the above, the OPW has regular engagement with local authorities and other State bodies to identify other State uses for any surplus properties or sites, in advance of any decision to sell on the open market. This procedure is consistent with the Protocols for the Transfer and Sharing of State Property Assets that issued from my Department in 2015.