Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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184. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Office of Public Works owned and-or managed and-or leased properties that have and are not being used and-or are vacant and-or are not yet assigned to a body by status, location and duration of vacancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35069/19]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The OPW actively manages a portfolio of some 2,500 properties throughout the country, that ranges from office accommodation to heritage properties, visitors centres to Garda stations, among others.  At any given time it is normal that a number of properties are vacant.  In the case of the OPW portfolio, there are 98 properties currently vacant, reduced from over 200 that were vacant in 2014. 

The majority of these are former Garda stations closed under the 2012/13 closure programme.  As these stations were subject to examination under the recent policing review, the OPW was specifically requested not to dispose of them.  Now that this review is completed, the future of the remaining stations will be determined.  

When a property is deemed suitable for disposal, the OPW will, in the first instance, offer it for use to other public bodies (e.g. local authorities, LDA, HSE etc.) prior to it being placed on the open market.

Closed Garda Stations 

An interim report of the Policing Authority identified six stations for re-opening on a pilot basis.  These were -

- Ballinaspittle, Co. Cork  

- Bawnboy, Co. Cavan 

- Donard, Co. Wicklow 

- Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow 

- Rush, Co. Dublin 

- Stepaside, Co. Dublin 

This second review, carried out by the Garda Inspectorate, was published in December 2018.  Following the publication of the review, the OPW and An Garda Síochána engaged in discussions to determine the future use of the former Garda stations.  Following these discussions, An Garda Síochána advised the OPW in May 2019 that 47 of the former Garda stations are surplus to requirements. The OPW is now processing these properties in accordance with its disposal policy. 

The OPW’s policy on disposal of surplus State property is as follows:  

- Identify if the property is required/suitable for alternative State use by both Government departments and the wider public sector.  

- If there is no other State use identified for a property, the OPW will then consider disposing of the property on the open market if and when conditions prevail, in order to generate revenue for the Exchequer.  

- If no State requirement is identified, or if a decision is taken not to dispose of a particular property, the OPW may consider community involvement (subject to detailed written submission, which would indicate that the community/voluntary group has the means to insure, maintain and manage the property and that there are no ongoing costs for the Excheque 

Sites  

Sites in State ownership (OPW) 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 Government’s decentralisation programme for Government Departments/Offices.

The majority of these sites have been identified as being suitable for transfer to other State bodies or are being retained for future State development.  The future use or disposal of the remainder is under consideration.

As a matter of policy, no property or site is disposed of until there is absolute certainty that there is no alternative State use for it.  

Alternative State use, in accordance with the OPW disposal policy, has been explored for each of those properties and sites identified as being prepared for disposal.

Leased Property 

There is one vacant leased property at Clare Street, Dublin 2.  The lease expires in January 2020 and will not be renewed.  

Properties and sites not allocated or assigned 

The following table identifies properties and sites that are not currently allocated to other State Bodies and excludes properties and sites that are being assigned for alternative State use, for transfer to other State Bodies and are under consideration for community use.  

List of vacant Properties and Sites not assigned