Securing value for money is a central priority for both this Government as well as the Office of Public Works, OPW. It is at the heart of all decision-making at every stage of a policy, project or programme's lifecycle, as it should be. Securing value for money is both a priority as well as our duty. It is at the forefront of decision-making on all projects in the OPW, at all stages. The OPW is obliged to adhere to the robust guidance in place to treat public funds with due care and always ensure we pursue optimal …

As the Deputy is aware, the OPW is a significant and large organisation with a wide-ranging remit. It is currently processing 100 flood scheme projects and maintains 11,500 km of channel and 800 km of earth embankments. It maintains over 2,000 properties, including offices, Garda stations, parks, gardens, heritage buildings, accommodation for over 50,000 civil servants, which is up by 15,000 over the last ten years, and over 500 office buildings nationwide. It deals with 38,000 client requests through the OPW help …

As the Deputy mentioned, I work closely with the Minister, Deputy Chambers. As I said, we brought in all these new rules and regulations. I am quite satisfied that as we go forward with the projects the OPW carries out, we will do them within budget and on time. We have a huge portfolio and an awful lot of areas. In some cases, we have to work with contracts. When I say that we "work with contracts", I mean that we could go into a site where we were to do work on a roof but discover halfway through there is more wo…

The Shannon flood risk State agency co-ordination group was established by the Government in 2016 to enhance the ongoing co-operation of all State agencies involved with the River Shannon and to introduce co-ordinated solutions that may have a benefit in managing flood risk in the Shannon catchment. The group is focused on prioritising actions and activities that can help manage flood risk along the River Shannon. A programme of strategic maintenance for 24 sites along the River Shannon has been approved by the gro…

I did outline plans, Deputy. As I said, a total of 24 strategic maintenance works will be carried out over the next number of months. Since I resumed my role in the Office of Public Works, I have put forward a number of changes, particularly with regard to the minor works scheme, where local authorities play a key role. I changed the criteria from €750,000 to €2 million. That gives a greater role for the local authority to come to my Department to seek funding to do works, particularly for the areas mentioned in th…

I have responsibility for the Shannon from one end to the other. I meet many different groups and I understand fully where everyone is coming from. As I said to the Deputy at the outset, we all have to work together. The flooding of the Shannon onto a flat surface is a major problem arising from climate change. I met the group the Deputy mentioned after taking up my role. I will meet it again next week and I will set out what we are going to do over the next number of months. When I was in government previously, I …

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter concerning the future of the national monument at 14-17 Moore Street. These buildings are among the most significant surviving locations associated with the Easter Rising and are central to the State’s ongoing commitment to commemorating and preserving our shared history. As the Senator will be aware, the Government decided to accept the recommendations of the Moore Street advisory group and instructed the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and…

I could not agree with the Senator more and it is the Minister who has only just gone out the door. While it has taken so long to get to where we are, we have moved a long way. As the Senator said at the outset, many different bodies and agencies have been involved to get to where we are. I have shown huge commitment to this project as has the Taoiseach. We visited the site to look at it at first-hand. The work being done at 14-17 Moore Street is phenomenal. It is painstaking and slow work that takes an awful lot o…

You will always get attention.

A Cheann Comhairle, twice I have been in the Chamber now when the Opposition has used the Áras as a platform to attack one candidate.

I am an Independent.

I have not said a word about it.

It is very unfair that it is allowed to continue. I am sorry for taking up the time.

I did not mean Deputy Ahern.

I just think it is unfair.

It sounded like it.

It is nothing new to the Deputy to be bending the rules.

The Deputy was always about disobeying the law.

A new site for a district headquarters Garda station was purchased in Bailieborough in 2018. A Part 9 planning application was granted in December 2018. After the adjoining site was purchased in 2021, proposals were developed to extend the project to encompass the footprint of the adjacent site. The project for a new Garda station at Bailieborough, County Cavan, includes conservation of the existing former National Irish Bank building and the construction of a new three storey over basement building to the rear of …

As the Senator said at the outset, guards have used the barracks since the 1800s. I travelled the length and breadth of Ireland over the summer period and met politicians and gardaí crying out for new Garda stations. The gardaí in the existing station, which has been in place since the 1800s, are going to go into a new, state-of-the-art building. I was the one who purchased the site in 2018. I have come back into this job and I am as frustrated as the Senator, but delays happen. It is a massive project; it is Garda…