Tender process for Macroom's new Garda station set for two years after planning permission

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North-West, Aindrias Moynihan, has called for the construction of the new Cork regional headquarters in Macroom, which had planning permission approved last year, to be fast-tracked as a matter of urgency.

Following a question to the Minister for Justice in the Dáil, Mr Moynihan was told that the tender process is only set to begin in mid-2023.

“Planning permission has been approved since last year. There can be no further delay in this project. I have asked the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, if the garda authorities have reported back on the situation,” Mr Moynihan said.

“With planning already approved on the project, an estimated tender start date of mid-2023 is not acceptable. This project urgently needs to be delivered on and I will continue to push for construction to begin as soon as possible.”

Mr Moynihan said he had also raised the matter at the Cork County joint policing committee (JPC) and there was an agreement to write to the Minister for Justice and the OPW pressing them to prioritise this construction project.

Mr Moynihan added that he had been informed by Ms McEntee that the construction of the new station in Macroom is to proceed on the basis of a major public-private partnership (PPP) project which also includes the construction of a new garda station in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, and Courts Service accommodation in Dublin.

Ms McEntee informed him that An Garda Síochána continues to engage with her department, the OPW and the National Development Finance Agency, which is the procuring authority for PPPs, to progress this project which will include the tender process, contract agreement and construction.