Written answers
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Postal Services
Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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343. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has had any engagement with An Post in relation to section 8.22 of the Code of Practice in respect of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets; and, if so, the nature of that engagement. [32802/25]
Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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344. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the position regarding sale of State-owned buildings housing public services; his plans to ensure that buildings currently in public use remain in public use; his plans to ensure retention of state assets in public ownership and community use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32805/25]
Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 344 together.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility, on behalf of the State, for managing and maintaining a substantial and complex estate of approximately 2,500 properties.
This extensive and diverse portfolio of State properties includes office accommodation for all Government Departments, the property estate for An Garda Síochána and numerous properties for many State Agencies. The portfolio also encompasses specialised spaces such as public offices, laboratories and cultural institutions, in addition to warehouses, heritage properties, visitor centres and sites.
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
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.
The OPW has no role in disposing of any property in the ownership of An Post.
Postal policy and the business of An Post is primarily a matter for the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport. The Department for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation have received no contact from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport regarding any proposals from An Post in relation to the disposal of property.
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