Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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311. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 311 of 29 May 2025, the breakdown of the funding allocated to maintaining vacant properties owned by the OPW, broken down by property since they were originally vacated; the breakdown of the funding allocated to maintaining vacant properties owned by the OPW broken down by property since in each of the years 2020-2025; the breakdown of the overall cost to maintain empty properties owned by the OPW in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the breakdown of the average cost to bring a vacant property owned by the OPW into use for social housing in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the breakdown of the overall cost to bring vacant properties owned by the OPW back into use for social housing in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the breakdown of the overall cost to maintain former Garda stations owned by the OPW that are now vacant in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and the breakdown of the overall cost to maintain decentralisation sites owned by the OPW that are now vacant in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [31876/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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Further to Parliamentary Question No. 311 of 29 May 2025, the enclosed table shows the expenditure incurred by the Office of Public Works (OPW) on the maintenance of properties that are currently vacant for the years 2020 – 2025. Each property is assessed on a case by case basis, with a general approach to endeavour to maintain the property in its current condition pending decisions on its future use.

The OPW has not directly repurposed vacant buildings for residential use. Rather, the OPW, like other property holding State bodies, has engaged with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and with the relevant Local Authorities to identify vacant properties that may be suitable for housing. It should be noted however that many of the properties managed by the OPW are commercial buildings, such as Garda stations, warehouses or office buildings that in most cases are not suitable for residential use.

Notwithstanding this, the OPW has in the past five years transferred over 50 properties to Local Authorities for housing and alternative State use. This includes the following:

• Eight residential units in Dublin City Centre that were leased to a housing agency.
• A building in Crumlin, Dublin licensed to Dublin City Council for use as a Family Hub.
• Seven former Garda residences in Templemore transferred to Tipperary County Council for social housing.
• Two former Garda station properties at Goleen and Adrigole transferred to Cork County Council for social housing.
• Three former Garda station properties at Galbally, Shanagolden and Mayorstone transferred to Limerick City and County Council for social housing.
• The former Garda station properties at Buncrana and Malin transferred to Donegal County Council for social housing.
• The former Garda station at Inagh transferred to Clare County Council for the use of Inagh Housing Association.
• A site at the rear of Ballinasloe Garda station, which transferred to Galway County Council for the provision of social housing.
• The former Garda station at Kill O’The Grange, Dublin transferred to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for a social housing scheme.

• The former Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum to be transferred to the Land Development Agency for housing.
• Seven former coastguard cottages and a site at Crosshaven in the process of being transferred to Cork County Council for the refurbishment of the seven cottages and the construction of 24 new residential social houses.
• A property at Carrigrohane, Cork City is in the process of being leased to Cork City Council for housing purposes and the Commissioners are also in the process of entering into a Lease Agreement with Donegal County Council for the former Garda station at Cloghan, Co. Donegal.