Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility on behalf of the State for managing and maintaining a substantial and complex estate - comprising approximately 2,500 properties. This extensive and diverse portfolio of State properties extends from Leinster House to Skellig Michael and includes office accommodation for all Government Departments, the property estate for An Garda Síochána and numerous properties for many State Agencies.

The OPW, like other State bodies, is obliged to follow central Government policies on the disposal of surplus properties and the arrangements involved are set out in the following Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) 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 Policy in 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.

In line with the above policy, the OPW has informed other public sector bodies that this property is surplus to requirements, and OPW is open to its acquisition by another public sector body who can put the property in Cloontuskert to an alternative use. To date no State requirement has been identified. Once there is absolute certainty that there is no alternative State use for that property, the OPW will consider preparing the property for disposal on the open market.

The adjoining property devolved to the State by operation of Section 28 of the State Property Act, 1954, on the dissolution of the former owner, Cloontuskert Residents Association Ltd. and title issues with this property needs to be resolved prior to any disposal on the market.