Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
882. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department receives regular reports from the Health Service Executive on the number, duration of vacancy, and disposal status of residential properties owned by the HSE; the frequency of such reporting; and whether any performance indicators apply to the timely disposal of surplus residential assets. [16750/26]
View answerThe Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate. The HSE has a significant property portfolio extending to circa 4,300 buildings across circa 2,400 locations throughout the country. The health estate is varied and complex, ranging from small health centres in rural locations to very large acute hospitals.
My Department receives regular reports from the HSE on the disposal of HSE's surplus assets and meets with the HSE on a quarterly basis on land and property matters.
The HSE must follow the official process for the disposal of properties by State bodies and agencies. When a HSE property has been vacated by a service it is necessary to establish if it is surplus to HSE requirements and to be disposed of. If the property is to be disposed of, the protocol for disposal is set out in the "HSE Protocol for the Acquisition and Disposal of Property", the steps summarised as follows:
• Offer the property to the LDA via written notification.
• Should the LDA not choose to take up the property, under DPER Circulars 11/2015 & 17/2016 the HSE must then offer the property to other State Stakeholders via the State Property Register.
• Should no other State Stakeholders take up the property, the HSE then places the property for sale on the open market.
The HSE actively manages its property portfolio, which changes constantly, including the disposal of surplus assets. These disposals are subject to robust governance arrangements as set out in the HSE Protocol for the Acquisition and Disposal of Property to ensure value for money is achieved.
