C&AG: Government spent more than €12m on unoccupied office space in 2024

The Distiller’s Building itself had been unoccupied since a lease was first signed by the OPW in July 2022, though it had been subject to two rent-free periods ending in March of last year. File picture:

The Government spent more than €12m on the rental of unoccupied office space in Dublin during 2024.

The two buildings in question — the Distillers Building in Smithfield and Bishop’s Square in the south city centre — had both been either partially or entirely vacant for several years at that time, despite multi-million euro leases being in place.