Seven coastguard cottages in Crosshaven among OPW's vacant Cork sites

Database details more than 70 vacant properties across the country, some of which have lain idle for over a decade

Seven former coastguard cottages in Crosshaven are among more than 70 vacant Office of Public Works properties around the country.

Seven former coastguard cottages in Crosshaven, an office on Cork's Old Blackrock Road, the former Reserve Defence Forces building in Mitchelstown, and a Garda station and residence in West Cork are among more than 70 Office of Public Works (OPW) properties lying empty around the country.

The OPW’s database of vacant properties and sites include former police stations, Garda residences, Customs posts, as well as high-value unused sites in city locations. The database details 12 unused buildings in major cities and towns, some of which have lain idle for over a decade.

The details, which were released under Freedom of Information, come as the Government scrambles to house the thousands of Ukrainian refugees who have fled their country since the Russia invasion. To date, more than 27,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland. Of that number, 16,788 have been provided with accommodation by the State. However, it is expected that around 33,000 Ukrainian refugees will have arrived by the end of next month.

In Co Cork, among the vacant properties held by the OPW are a former office on the Old Blackrock Road and the former Reserve Defence Forces building in Mitchelstown, which has just come into its possession.

A building on Cecil Street in Limerick is also lying idle and “being prepared for disposal” while the OPW said an empty warehouse in Annacotty, Co Limerick, had gone sale agreed.

Two separate properties in Co Waterford are also unused, the Customs House for which an alternative use is being sought, and a building in Ardmore that is to be sold.

In Dublin, there are two adjoining properties near Dublin Castle, which are being retained for “strategic purposes” and the old debtor’s prison on Halston Street which is being considered for “alternative use”.

Two neighbouring buildings on O’Connell Street have also been empty since 2018, having been vacated by An Garda Síochána.

Eight former coastguard properties are also in possession of the Office of Public Works, including seven cottages in Crosshaven, Co Cork, some of which have lain idle for almost 40 years. The cottages in Crosshaven could be worth €180,000 -€200,000 if put up for sale because of their scenic location behind the Royal Crosshaven Yacht Club.

Intra-state transfer

The OPW said the seven houses were going to be the subject of an intra-state transfer to Cork County Council.

An eighth property at Helvick Head in Co Waterford is being prepared for auction later this year, according to the database of sites.

Five former Garda residences across the country are also listed including one in Kealkil, Co Cork, with what are described as “complex title issues to be resolved”.

Three Garda houses — two in Tipperary and one in Kerry — are to be sold either this year or next, while another in Ballyshannon, Donegal, is also being sold after no alternative use was found.

The former Garda Station in Goleen,  Co Cork, is to remain in State hands. 

There are more than 40 former Garda stations on the OPW books, many of which were closed during 2012 and 2013.

The OPW has been making progress in finding a use for the properties with one in Kilgarvan, Co Kerry, delisted after being assigned to a community group.

Another ex-Garda station in Drumkeeran, Co Leitrim is "sale agreed" as is the old police barracks in Stradone, Co Cavan.

Two others — former stations in Ballinalee, Co Longford, and Cliffoney, Co Sligo — are due to be auctioned next year after the local county council confirmed they did not want them.

The Garda barracks in Goleen, Co Cork, will however remain in State hands with Cork County Council saying it wishes to acquire the property.

Another in Galbally, Co Limerick, is also being considered by use jointly by the local authority and a voluntary housing association in the area.

The future of two former stations in Dublin has also been confirmed with the building in Dalkey to be auctioned and another in Kill O’The Grange to be transferred to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

The remaining properties – spread across more than a dozen other counties – are either being prepared for disposal, leased for community use, or under consideration for other uses.

In a statement, the OPW said they had responsibility for a substantial and complex estate valued at €3.3bn and comprising around 2,500 properties.

A spokesman said: “In any major portfolio, there will always be a certain level of vacant properties. It is normal to have an amount of space vacant, or vacant properties, at any given time as the portfolio could not function without the flexibility that it provides. Not all vacant properties will be deemed surplus to the State’s requirements or deemed suitable for disposal.” 

The OPW said it was policy that no property or site was disposed of until there was “absolute certainty” there was no alternative state use.

They consulted with local authorities, the Land Development Agency, the HSE, the Department of Education, various other public bodies, and had also provided a list to the agencies managing the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine.