Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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212. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received a request from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to identify properties under the control of his Department or under the control of agencies under the remit of his Department for the purposes of providing accommodation to international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection; if he has identified potential properties and their locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7941/23]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received such a request from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. In responding to the request, I advised the Minister that my Department (including the Office of Government Procurement) does not lease or own any properties that are currently unoccupied.

With the exception of the Office of Public Works (OPW), this is also the case for each of the bodies under the aegis of my Department.

I further noted that I was advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the OPW manages a property portfolio in excess of 2,500 properties which includes heritage buildings, commercial office blocks, green field sites, warehouses, Coast Guard Stations and Garda Stations. As would be the norm in such a large portfolio, at any given time, there will be a number of properties being refurbished or vacant. The State will always retain a number of vacant properties for future use.

Many of these types of buildings are not readily adaptable to full time residential use. The OPW however has actively engaged with the relevant State agencies to ensure that they are fully aware of vacant properties in the portfolio that could be considered for either use for housing or for use as part of the current humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine. The relevant agencies then assess those buildings in terms of what might be suitable for residential use. Many of these properties were deemed unsuitable as they were constructed over 50 years ago and would require significant investment to comply with current regulations for residential use or are located in rural areas without the necessary services and supports.

As of February 2023, the OPW is preparing three vacant sites in the ownership of the Commissioners which have been identified as suitable for the installation of modern quality off-site housing units for Ukrainians fleeing the war. The successful delivery of these homes will form a significant component of the State’s overall humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis.