Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of buildings owned by the Office of Public Works in County Louth; the number of these buildings not currently in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43016/19]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Commissioners of Public Works, on behalf of the State, manage a large and diverse property portfolio, which ranges from office accommodation to heritage properties, visitor centres, Garda stations, among others.  As is typical of such large portfolios, there will always be a number of properties, at any given time, that are vacant.  In some cases, such properties may be retained because of their future strategic development value. 

The Commissioners manage 37 State owned buildings in Co. Louth ranging from Garda Stations to heritage properties.

Three of these properties are deemed to be surplus to requirements.  The policy relating to properties that are surplus to requirements is firstly to identify alternative State use and, where State use isn't feasible, to consider disposal of the properties on the open market or the potential for community use under certain criteria.  Two of the properties are currently being considered for intra-State transfer and the future use of the third is under consideration, in line with the Protocols for the Transfer and Sharing of State property Assets and the OPW's stated policy.