Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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94. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a schedule of the 11 sites that An Garda Síochána estates section evaluated as part of its preparation to relocate from the Harcourt Square, Dublin 2 buildings in 2014; the engagements his officials had with the management of An Garda Síochána and its estates section regarding the evaluation of these sites; and if a site (details supplied) on the Long Mile Road, Dublin 12 was discussed between his officials and An Garda Síochána as a favourable option. [27037/21]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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95. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for his officials' decision not to embark on the use of privately owned lands to accommodate the new Garda building currently being constructed at Military Road, Dublin; and if he will provide the initial and final schedules of identified sites that displayed potential to acquire and built on. [27039/21]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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99. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the methodology used to identify 11 potential sites that the OPW and An Garda Síochána evaluated in respect of planning for a new Garda building being constructed on Military Road, Dublin; the weighting and or scores that were given to each site; and if a schedule will be provided of the 11 sites initially identified for potential use. [27034/21]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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100. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW sought a valuation and made inquiries regarding the purchase of a site (details supplied) on the Long Mile Road, Dublin 12; and if he will set out the engagements the OPW had with An Garda Síochána in respect of this site. [27035/21]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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102. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the engagements the OPW had with the Department of Justice in respect of the use of Thornton Hall as a potential site to be used for new Garda buildings; and if he will provide a schedule of correspondence between the OPW and the Department of Justice in respect of same. [27038/21]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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103. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW received any objections in respect of the decision to use the Military Road site from management and or the estates section of An Garda Síochána. [27040/21]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 95, 99, 100, 102 and 103 together.

As the Deputy is aware from answers given to Questions 37-39, on 29th April 2021, a tri partite evaluation panel was established in order to identify an alternative location for the Garda operations based in Harcourt Square. Following a detailed assessment of the six shortlisted sites by the evaluation panel, Military Road was identified as the clear winner and the Long Mile Road site was only rated fourth out of the six sites. While an exercise had been conducted on the potential acquisition cost of the Long Mile Road prior to the evaluation panel meeting, no further action was required in connection with that site. The ownership of a potential site is an important issue in terms of cost benefit and availability to meet project timelines. Public owned sites have significant cost benefit. In the case of Military Road this benefit was further enhanced by it meeting all the key Garda requirements. The Long Mile site you refer to had additional cost and technical issues quite aside from its less than optimal location.

An Garda Síochána was represented at the evaluation panel by a Deputy Garda Commissioner and the Head of its Estate Management Section and it is fully supportive of the decision to relocate the Garda operations from Harcourt Square to Military Rd. The then Garda Commissioner, informed OPW, that in her considered opinion, the Military Road site was the best available option to deliver core policing functions in the most efficient and effective way.

A number of alternative sites were also examined prior to the shortlisting of the six sites. Thornton Hall, while in State ownership, had location and other issues when subjected to detailed investigation by the tripartite evaluation panel. It needs to be recognised that the process of shortlisting the six sites was agreed with An Garda Síochána and the Dept. of Justice. This ultimately led to the selection of Military Rd which has the support of An Garda Síochána.