Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works (CPW) that there are three unused properties in County Clare that are in the ownership of the Commissioners.

1. Unit 153, Shannon Business Park, Shannon

Unit 153, Shannon Business Park, was acquired by the CPW as a solution to meet the long-term requirements of the Department of Transport and a range of other State bodies in the area. The Department of Transport, which operates the Vehicle Registration Unit (VRU) from a State-owned building in Shannon town centre, was earmarked as a key priority client to go into this newly acquired building.

A master-planning exercise for the building was under way shortly after its purchase when the building was allocated to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) as part of the emergency response to the increased demand for accommodation for those seeking protection in Ireland. The Office of Public Works (OPW) engaged fully with the relevant Government Departments managing the process over a number of months. Earlier this year DCEDIY informed the OPW that it was releasing this property as it was no longer under consideration for that purpose. The OPW has since recommenced engagement with client Departments to complete a masterplan for the property and will proceed to design stage by the end of 2024.

As a result of ongoing fabric issues within the existing VRU building in Shannon town centre, the OPW intends to relocate the Department of Transport staff from the Shannon VRU building to suitable space within Unit 153, Shannon Business Park over the coming months.

2. Former Garda Station and Residence, Lissycasey

The former Garda station and residence at Lissycasey, was held by the CPW under a Lease Agreement dated March 1915 for a period of 99 years and was occupied by An Garda Síochána until 2015.

The CPW, as tenant in occupation, have invoked their statutory right to purchase the Freehold Interest in the property under the Landlord and Tenant Ground Rents Act 1967, as amended by the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 1978 and the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 2019.

An application for the registration of the CPW Interest in the former Garda station and residence at Lissycasey has been lodged with Tailte Éireann and when the registration process is complete, the property will be assessed for disposal purposes and the arrangements involved are set out in the following Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) Circulars:

• Circular 11/2015: Protocols for the Transfer and Sharing of State Property Assets
• Circular 17/2016: Policy for Property Acquisition and for Disposal of Surplus Property

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

The OPW’s approach to managing vacant, surplus properties is firstly, to establish if the property is required for alternative State use, including the potential for it to be re-purposed for either Government Departments or the wider public service. A number of strategic properties are retained in anticipation of potential State use/development in line with service demands arising from Government policy changes to public service provision.

Secondly, if no State use is identified, the OPW considers if open market disposal is an option, depending on prevailing market conditions.

Thirdly, the OPW may consider community involvement, subject to a detailed submission that demonstrates that the community or voluntary group seeking to use the property has the means to insure, maintain and manage it in order to reduce costs to the Exchequer.

3. Former Garda Station, Broadford

The former Garda station at Broadford, was recently sold at public auction and the sale of the property is scheduled to close within the coming weeks.

The CPW are not in a position to provide data on vacant properties or sites that may be held by other State bodies.