Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 September 2024
130. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of square metres of property managed by the OPW for the accommodation of public servants; the average square metre accommodation afforded to each member of staff; and the average total cost of providing a square metre of accommodation for each public servant per year. [37357/24]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) provides office accommodation in both state-owned and leased buildings for Government Departments and a range of State agencies. The amount of office space in the office portfolio is 866,896 m2, as reported at the end of April 2024.
The most recent staffing figures for the civil service at the end of the second quarter 2024 was 51,424 whole time equivalents. Given this, a high level portfolio indicator suggests an average of 16.8 m2 of office space per whole time equivalent. Although this metric is a useful indicator, it does not account for the diverse accommodation portfolio in the care of the OPW, and the different business functions performed across Government. Over the past ten years there has been a gradual reduction in this high level portfolio indicator, as working practices have changed and the portfolio has become more efficient.
In a wider European context, space allocation per whole time equivalents across public real estate providers varies, and it depends on the measurement practices and portfolio make up in each jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the lack of a common comparator, the average space per whole time equivalent, across a range of European public real estate agencies, varies from 12 m2 to 25 m2.
In a scenario whereby the OPW is developing new or refurbishing existing office accommodation, office layouts will be designed to a framework that maximises efficient and optimum usage. This framework will be anchored by a high level allocation target of 12 m2 net internal floor area per workstation, averaged across the entire space allocation, including work areas, support spaces, circulation, etc. Where appropriate, these projects will also take consideration of the flexible use of space and the evolution of emerging office design principles, that are moving away from a concentration of individual workstations, to a collection of more agile workspaces.
Due to the diversity of building stock, the varied tenure, and the diverse functions performed across the accommodation portfolio, the OPW does not report on the cost of accommodation for each civil servant per year. However, as part of business case development, cost parameters are driven by market norms and subject to client requirements, which include a movement towards blended working, and are assessed on a case by case basis.
The above information is collated by the OPW for its owned and leased office accommodation only. The OPW does not collate information in relation to owned or leased space, where Departments or other public bodies have entered into agreements with third party providers.
