Aontú Leader Peadar Toibin has revealed that the Office of Public Works is currently holding 67 vacant properties and sites owned by the State, and has called for the them either to be used or sold for the benefit of taxpayers.
The Meath West TD said:
“I have asked the Minister through a Parliamentary Question to outline how many properties the Office of Public Works own that are vacant, and how many are currently being rented.
Staggeringly, the OPW currently holds 450 lease and licence agreements, involving 374 properties. There are currently 67 vacant properties owned or managed by the OPW, consisting of 45 buildings and 22 sites.
We are now well used to scandals involving the Office of Public Works’ incineration of taxpayers’ money, which is now compounded by the hoarding of 67 vacant sites that could be put to public use. They must either be put to use immediately or be sold.
The government needs to come clean about why these properties are not being utilised – firstly, are taxpayers renting buildings at cost when properties we owned could be used, or worse, are we paying both rent and mortgages on properties which aren’t being used?
In any instance, if these buildings are empty and are suitable to be used as offices with no plan in sight, the OPW should seek to utilise them to give shelter to those sleeping on our streets.
Aontú will be seeking further details of these properties’ cost to taxpayers. Accountability needs to be injected into these processes, especially in the OPW where it seems they have forgotten who pays to keep the lights on.”
