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, laboratories, warehouses as well as cultural institutions, heritage properties, visitor centres and sites.
Although the majority of buildings managed by the OPW are not suited to residential use, the OPW actively engages with other State agencies and provides details of any of its surplus vacant buildings or sites to the Land Development Agency, each relevant local authority, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, so that these buildings and sites can be assessed for suitability for housing or humanitarian purposes or for other State use.
It should however be noted that when factors such as the nature, age, condition and location of these buildings and sites have been considered by the various agencies, many of the OPW’s vacant and surplus properties have been deemed to be unsuitable or financially untenable for housing or alternative State development.
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 the Peter McVerry Trust.
• 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 property at 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.
In addition, there are a number of properties that are in the process of being transferred to local authorities and the Land Development Agency, such as:
• 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.
• The former Garda station property and site at Buncrana in the process of being transferred to Donegal County Council for social housing.
• A site at the rear of Ballinasloe Garda station in the process of being transferred to Galway County Council for social housing.
• A property at Carrigrohane, Cork City in the process of being leased to Cork City Council for housing purposes.
Furthermore, the OPW are also engaged with the LDA and the Department of Housing Local Government & Heritage about the possibility of additional transfer of lands in the Digital Hub and Inchicore in Dublin 8, and in Waterford city. Upon completion, the development of these OPW sites, in conjunction with adjoining public lands will provide a significant additional stock of new homes.
Lastly, the OPW keeps its office portfolio under constant review. The OPW has a very modest level of vacancy within its portfolio in comparison to international counterparts. If an owned office property is no longer required central Government policies on the disposal of surplus State properties will be followed.
A list of the vacant properties managed by the OPW and the current status of each is attached at Appendix 1. This list does not include those properties that are an intrinsic part of heritage estates or gardens managed by the OPW that are not considered to be surplus to requirements or part of the OPW's disposal programme.
Appendix 1
