The Minister of State is most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I thank him for being here for this debate on the Office of Public Works.

I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senators for inviting me here. I am delighted to stand before them as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW, in order to provide updates on significant progress across a number of priority areas.

I am proud to represent an organisation whose work touches every corner of our country, protecting our communities from flooding, preserving our heritage and providing the property and buildings infrastructure that underpins our public life. This Government has entrusted the OPW to deliver projects to the value of €1.845 billion under the national development plan. I am pleased to give the House a sense of some of the great work now under way. To date, this year has seen significant cultural, infrastructural and community-focused initiatives delivered by the OPW across the country. From major construction projects and heritage site enhancements to nationwide cultural celebrations and flood relief and supports, the OPW demonstrates a commitment to both preserving Ireland's culture and heritage and improving infrastructure under its remit.

Across all areas of the OPW, major construction milestones include: progression of the Moore Street project to tender stage; commencement of the National Concert Hall's Discover Centre; the commencement of a new regional Garda headquarters in Macroom, County Cork; and the awarding of a contract at Limerick's Opera Square. Redevelopment works include a €1.5 million visitor centre at Carrowmore megalithic site in Sligo and a €1.6 million upgraded visitor centre at Dún Aonghasa on Inis Mór in the Aran Islands. The geographical spread of these projects illustrates Government commitment to balanced regional development and rural tourism.

The OPW completed the strategic purchase of the east wing of Block R, Spencer Dock, Dublin 1. Located adjacent to the convention centre, this prime site, secured at a competitive price, demonstrates the OPW's commitment to prudent financial management and represents a forward-thinking investment in public infrastructure. It ensures long-term, high-quality office space for the OPW, reducing reliance on leased properties and generating significant taxpayer savings. Overall, this purchase strengthens the Government's property portfolio and provides a stable asset for future public sector needs.

The Limerick opera project shows how targeted urban regeneration can drive balanced regional development. The OPW is working in partnership with Limerick 2030 to develop a 14-storey landmark office building that will accommodate up to 1,500 Government employees and form the centrepiece of the site. This project illustrates how central and local government can work collaboratively to deliver key infrastructure, and I was delighted to mark the commencement of this project earlier in the year. Works are advancing on site and the building is expected to be ready for occupation in 2029.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and OPW agreed to collaborate on the delivery of a building retrofit pathfinder programme from 2022 to 2024, with overall funding of €30 million received from the SEAI. The OPW undertook retrofits of a selection of OPW-managed buildings to develop an evidence base for building performance and develop a roadmap to prepare for a potentially larger national programme. The shared objectives were to deliver a scalable model for future retrofit interventions with a focus on renewable heat sources and a reduction of CO2 emissions. Some projects are ongoing and seven projects have been completed, including Government offices in Waterford, Tralee Garda station, Pallaskenry Garda station, Ennis Block 1 and Togher Garda station, with a combined spend of €6.5 million. The OPW energy upgrade of Kilcarn Government offices in County Meath is an example of this success. It was funded by the European Union under the national recovery and resilience plan, NRRP. The Kilcarn Government offices were originally constructed in 2007 and were later purchased by OPW. The floor area is 3,200 sq. m, housing multiple Departments and agencies.

In collaboration with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and An Garda Síochána, four new Garda stations are under construction. This programme represents a significant investment of approximately €150 million. Work is ongoing at Portlaoise, Newcastle West, Clonmel and Macroom. In addition, the Office of Public Works is in the process of completing other facilities for An Garda Síochána, including the Garda Training College in Templemore and the property and exhibits management system, PEMS, store building in Drogheda. The Garda estate is spread across the entire country and requires significant ongoing maintenance and renewal.

Early planning and design is progressing for a range of other projects. Priority projects are also under way to support Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July of this year. The Office of Public Works is the contracting authority for these projects, working closely and constructively with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in the role of overall approving authority and with An Garda Síochána as the sponsoring agency under the infrastructure guidelines.

The OPW is progressing a major refurbishment of Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, a seven-storey, 16,500 sq. m public building located on Store Street in Dublin 1. This project will comprehensively upgrade, repair and replace end-of-life building services and life safety systems.

As Senators are aware, flooding is a natural process that can occur at any time in a wide variety of locations. Flooding is one of the most significant challenges facing Ireland. It affects homes, businesses, infrastructure and the environment. As someone who has witnessed the devastation of flooding in my own constituency, I am acutely aware of the urgency and importance of our work. The whole-of-government flood risk management policy is centred on three strategic pillars: prevention, protection and preparedness. These policy areas are supported by the collection of relevant data, the development of relevant science and evidence, and undertaking assessments to inform where flood risks, now and into the future, need to be addressed.

The Government has committed €1.3 billion in flood risk management, FRM, measures through the national development plan. As part of a phased approach to scheme delivery, this funding has allowed the OPW to treble to some 100 schemes at design, planning and construction at this time. The OPW and local authorities have been actively engaged in putting in place the necessary arrangements for the implementation of the priority flood relief schemes and work is well advanced in this regard.

Investment in projects associated with flood risk management, measures and programmes reached over €100 million in 2025. This significant expenditure reflects the high number of schemes at construction, with 11 schemes at construction in 2025. The OPW completed the Springfield flood relief scheme in August 2025. Under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, the OPW has approved funding to date of €71.6 million for over 930 projects.

Completed projects under the scheme are protecting over 8,070 properties. The upper financial threshold for funding is increasing from €750,000 to €2 million for the minor works. The OPW will continue to carry out maintenance on arterial drainage scheme channels and embankments within its remit, with over 1,900 km of channel and 160 km of embankments maintained in 2025. In response to the Storm Chandra flooding earlier this year, I have recently announced that €6.6 million will be made available to eight local authorities to introduce interim flood protection measures in their administrative areas that can help mitigate the impact to communities from a similar flood event, ahead of next winter.

The OPW cares for Ireland’s national heritage estate, including 780 national monuments, including the two UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sceilg Mhicil and Brú na Bóinne, and 33 national historic properties, which include places like the Phoenix Park, Kilkenny Castle and Castletown House and estate. In addition, in the region of 100 stone buildings in Dublin are under our care, including Government Buildings, Leinster House, the Custom House, national cultural institutions and Áras an Uachtaráin.

The OPW employs a diverse workforce of almost 1,300 people in heritage roles. This dedicated and skilled workforce works daily in conserving the historic buildings of Dublin, maintaining our national monuments throughout the country, and maintaining and presenting our historic gardens and heritage sites to the highest standards. A key focus of our work is supporting apprenticeships in the traditional building and craft skills that are essential for the conservation of our built heritage.

I came to the Seanad over 16 months ago and, looking at where the OPW was then compared with where we are today, things have greatly improved. I did not do it on my own; I did it with the whole team. I say this clearly to everybody in the House. I am open to hear what people have to say themselves.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Anois, Seanadóir Clifford Lee. I understand the Senator is sharing time with Senator Rabbitte. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Seanad. I want to speak specifically about Lusk round tower and belfry. It is a topic we have discussed previously. I want to use this opportunity to talk about it. Lusk community council has been working with the OPW since October 2024. The first challenges it encountered were in getting this beautiful belfry and round tower open. I will touch on the history of the belfry and the round tower. St. Maccullin is connected with the area as one of the early Christians in Ireland. The Barnewall tomb is contained in the medieval part of it. The Barnewall family were a significant Norman family in the area.

The first challenge that the OPW and Lusk community council encountered was to get the belfry and round tower open for the 2025 tourist season using the fabulous community cultural centre nearby as a base, and 12 openings occurred in 2025. They were very successful. Only the ground floor of the belfry is currently available for tours due to health and safety reasons. In 2026 the OPW and Lusk community council have agreed 14 days of tours of the round tower and belfry. These are right in the heart of medieval Lusk. They really form an iconic cultural point within the town. Those dates are from May to September. I recently did one of the first tours in May. I brought my daughter. It was a beautiful tour and I know the Minister of State will be very impressed when he comes to visit . OPW tour guides from Brú na Bóinne did the tours and they were fantastic. They are really excellent tour guides and are very knowledgeable of the area and the historical and cultural significance of the site.

The building had a detailed survey completed in 2025. Lusk community council is now awaiting details of that survey and the timeline for improvements. They are very keen to get this fully open for next year. Members may know that next year we will be celebrating the year of the Normans. This is a significant site in the Norman history of Ireland. Lusk is keen to be part of that celebration next year and to be a focal point in Dublin of the Norman celebrations. These works are really necessary. We need the report published, the necessary works committed to and an undertaking given before this can progress.

Lusk Community Council has worked very well with the OPW to develop this as a significant tourist offering both for visitors and Lusk residents. As the Minister of State may know, Lusk is a town with a rapidly expanding population and significant new housing developments have taken place in the area. It could be said that Lusk and the wider area are absorbing the housing needs of Dublin. It is important that we give back to the community which gives so much to us. The community is what makes Lusk what it is, but it is also about the round tower, which the local GAA club is named after. It is a really iconic part of the community and has such a rich, fantastic history. The tower dates from early Christian times to medieval times. It is important that we all work together to ensure that this is fully operational and that any work that needs to take place will have taken place well in advance of the year of the Normans next year. Driving this project forward is a key priority for Lusk Community Council and a key priority of mine. I want to work with the Minister of State to make sure these works are done and that the early Christian origins and the medieval history are brought to life for everybody. I look forward to working with the Minister of State on that.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House this evening. I also thank him for his comprehensive introduction. I agree that a lot of work has been done in the last 16 months. I thank him personally on the floor of the House today for the time he has given to me in Portumna and for coming down to the site there. Not only did he look at the castle but he also addressed our flooding concerns. That in itself is greatly appreciated. The Minister of State has shown his ability to bring local authorities to the table when it comes to prioritising both the arterial drainage and the smaller projects that can get moving. The work he has done in the Department since coming back into office is greatly appreciated. The local authorities talk about it locally.

Those key enablers have ensured that the floodgate in Portumna can get prioritised and get moving. In regard to the floodgate, the N65 goes right through the town, but it is also where Connacht meets Leinster and at one point it also meets Munster. If the road is cut off, there is no accessibility. At the same time, 2,500 people live in the town. If we do not have the floodgate in place we could be cut off but it also means that houses are at risk. I thank the Minister of State for addressing that.

I also acknowledge the work done on Portumna Castle and the investment that has gone into it. I look forward to working with the Minister of State during his term in this electoral cycle to ensure that we make the castle in Portumna accessible. We have a beautiful castle but you can only go in on the first floor. You cannot go to the second floor, although it is completely restored. We have done the windows and the floors. The pointing has been done on all the stonework but unfortunately, for fire and safety reasons, although we have a stairs, we need to have a second access point. I appeal to the Minister of State and his officials to put in a lift so that we could ensure people of all abilities are able get to the second storey. It is able to accommodate up to 200 people. We do not have a hotel any more in Portumna so it would assist us - not in banqueting or anything else like that - in bringing large conferences to the town if we were able to get that second floor open. It would be greatly appreciated and it would bring in extra availability as well.

Perhaps we would be able to put on traditional music sessions and to capture some of the tourists that are coming into Limerick and bring them to Portumna. Perhaps tourists coming from Athlone could come to Portumna as well. We could share it out a bit. It is important that if there are visitors coming through and we have destinations like the castle in Portumna, as the Minister of State has in Athlone, that we can bring them into the Hidden Heartlands. I note the work he and his team do within the Hidden Heartlands and in capturing Ireland's Ancient East and Wild Atlantic Way. The Hidden Heartlands were lost for so many years and now we are putting them on a map as a destination. It it is bringing our rural towns and villages to life because we can bring busloads in to see our built heritage. Accessibility needs to be a key point in that regard.

I will not discuss the south Galway floods because I am sure my colleague, Senator P.J. Murphy, will bring it up, but the flooding in Kinvara is still a priority in Galway and ensuring that the project is going at pace. Recently I was out canvassing for young Cillian Keane in Galway. I was down in Moran's on the Weir. I had not been in that area before. The woman talked about when the flood came in about 16 or 18 months ago. She said that they were on the top storey - the second floor - but the water came right above the window level on the ground. It takes the tide a half hour to turn and go out. Her only ask was about the local authority. A funding commitment was given to put in all the gates and the barriers. She asked that we would do that down at Moran's on the Weir to ensure the ten houses that are where the tide turns would get prioritisation. That is something I have seen done successfully in Galway. When barrier gates are put in front of businesses we protect livelihoods and homes. If that could be done at Moran's on the Weir it would be greatly appreciated. Tom Brennan would certainly appreciate seeing that done.

I also compliment the team from the OPW on the work it did on the Famine commemoration in Portumna. The team came and worked with the Famine commemoration committee in Portumna workhouse. It worked with the local authorities to ensure that we were able to put on the show for the commemoration. It was the first time it was on outside of Dublin. It took place last Sunday in Portumna. I note the work that went into ensuring that our workhouse was given the platform that it required. That was down to a lot of heavy lifting and investment from the OPW. It would a great investment if the OPW were to think about taking over the workhouse in Portumna. It would tell a really good story of rags to riches. When I think of the Taoiseach's speech, it also tells the story of people who were so hungry and starving and the role of the workhouse. There is an opportunity for us to tie it all together in Portumna.

Before I call the next speaker I welcome a large group to our Visitors Gallery today - the Belturbet Men's Shed and the Douglas Men's Shed, guests of the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin. They are very welcome here today. It is lovely to see them all. They have taken a day off from their whittling, woodwork, etc. I know the Drogheda Men's Shed do a fantastic scone. I am not sure if those present do that as well. I hope Michael O'Gorman of the Belturbet Men's Shed and the Douglas Men's Shed enjoy their day here.

I thank the Minister of State for being here today. I am happy to contribute to the important statements on the Office of Public Works. It is an organisation whose work touches communities, heritage and public infrastructure in every corner of Ireland. I do not take that lightly.

I will begin on a constructive note. It is important to acknowledge the extraordinary commitment of the OPW front-line staff, and as Senator Rabbitte mentioned, the different aspects of where they were out on the front line, helping people who were out in storms, flood-waters, heritage sites and in public buildings, and doing the work that often goes unseen but is absolutely essential. I want to put on record my own appreciation for their dedication, professionalism and public service. While acknowledging the good work of the staff, I also do not want to shy away from the challenges the Minister of State faces, such as the delays and structural issues that continue to undermine the OPW's mission. If anything, it makes it more important that we address them here today because when such systems fail it is the staff who carry the burden and it is the public who will pay the price.

One of the most pressing issues facing the OPW is the ongoing delay of flood relief schemes. I am on the petitions committee and even today we are dealing with a petition from residents from Rathcormack, Castlemartyr, Killeagh and Mogeely. They are calling on the Government to initiate tranche 2 of the flood relief programme for their communities. These towns and others like them have repeatedly been before us at the committees and they have been severely impacted by flooding events, which have devastated homes, livelihoods and essential infrastructure. They represent communities across Ireland that are living in constant fear of the next storm, the next high tide and the next river surge. We all know the names of the towns. I have mentioned some of them. They are communities that have been promised relief, protection and progress.

Yet, year after year, many of these schemes remain stuck in planning, procurement and essential assessment.

The Minister of State first came to my attention when he was out dealing with floods many years ago. I fully appreciate that flood relief schemes are complex and they require engineering, environmental sensitivity and so on, but the pace is simply too slow. The impact on the families who are appearing before our committees is profound. People cannot rebuild their lives every few years. They cannot be listening to the rain outside, wondering if this is the rain that is going to devastate their house once again. We need a renewed urgency, a renewed focus and a renewed commitment to delivering these schemes on time and on budget.

While we talk about protecting communities from flooding, we also have to talk about how we protect public assets, the assets we already have. I am involved in the homeless aspect of providing housing. In the middle of a housing crisis involving such big homeless numbers, when we have 17,517 in emergency accommodation, the State cannot afford to mismanage assets it already has and the buildings and properties under its care. That brings me to the example of the Box in the Docks. Last week, I was visiting the residents on the waterways at Grand Canal Dock. I wanted to see how they live, if their accommodation is suitable, what the new by-laws are and how the by-laws are going to impact them. While I was there, I saw the Waterways Visitor Centre at Grand Canal Dock. It cost millions. It is deeply concerning to see it as it is. I literally just came upon it. It was a publicly funded structure in one of the most visible, viable and valuable parts of Dublin, but it has been left idle and is deteriorating. From what I hear, there is no clear plan for its future. I do not think that was a minor oversight. I know it was built in the 1990s at a cost of millions, it was redone in 2009 at a cost of millions and it had its own security up to 2014. It is now a symbol of a wider issue, which is the failure to properly manage, maintain and utilise public assets. I want to be firm on that but I want to be fair. I am not suggesting that every underused building is the result of mismanagement, but when a structure like this sits neglected for years in the heart of a thriving urban area, it raises serious questions about oversight and accountability. At a time when I have a homeless café where we feed 500 people literally a couple of hundred metres from its door, this building could be used for housing, community use or cultural activity. It is unacceptable that assets like this are left to decay.

That is why I am calling for a full audit of all OPW-managed vacant or underused properties. We need transparency on these. We need a clear picture of what we own, what condition they are in and what potential they hold. Only then can we make informed decisions about how to use these assets for the public good.

Alongside these issues of infrastructure and property management, I want to highlight the OPW's vital role in heritage conservation. I am on the housing committee. We regularly meet people with wonderful stately homes, classic architecture and so on, but they cannot afford to keep the heritage in the state it is meant to be in. They have to open it to the public, which means they have to take out public liability insurance, but the public liability insurance is now in the tens of thousands, and that cannot be supported or reimbursed in any way. What I know is that, in Ireland, our heritage is not a luxury or an optional extra. It is an expression of what Ireland is. It is a story of who we are and where we came from. It is often the cornerstone of our tourism industry, supporting jobs, local economies and regional development. I know heritage is under pressure, especially in urban areas, where development pressures and climate impacts all pose challenges. We need to ensure the OPW has the resources, the staffing and the long-term planning capacity to protect our historic buildings. Once it is lost, it is lost forever.

I acknowledge the extraordinary work of the OPW conservation teams, the craftspeople and the specialists. Their skills, which are rare nowadays, are immensely important to the country. We must ensure these skills are passed on, that such training is supported and that heritage is not treated as an afterthought in national planning.

As we look to the future, the OPW must be empowered to deliver on its core responsibilities. As I mentioned, that is protecting communities against flooding and preserving our heritage, but it is also managing the public buildings. It requires clarity and leadership. Today, I am asking the Minister of State to consider three key actions. The first is to accelerate the delivery of flood relief schemes and provide clear delivery timelines to affected communities. The second is to commit to a full audit of OPW-managed vacant and underused properties with a view to bringing them back into productive public use. The Minister of State has a letter on his desk from me regarding the Box in the Docks, and that is one significant building that needs to be addressed. The third is to strengthen the OPW's capacity in heritage conservation to ensure the Irish national identity is protected for future generations.

The OPW has a proud history and a vital role in the life of this country. With the right focus, the right resources and the right accountability, it can continue to serve the public with excellence. However, we must be honest about the challenges I have raised. I hope I am being fair. We must be ambitious in our vision for what the OPW can achieve. I look forward to work to working constructively with the Minister of State and with colleagues across the House to ensure the OPW is supported, strengthened and held to the highest standards of transparency and public service.

I wish to share time with colleagues.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Minister of State for coming before us today. I am very familiar with his work in Wexford. I thank him for the work he did with the team in the OPW during the latest floods in Enniscorthy, Bunclody and Bridgetown. I very much welcome the €2.6 million, the interim measures that are coming and the fact that officials from the Department and Wexford County Council will be available in Enniscorthy tomorrow afternoon to meet with local residents and businesses about the interim measures. I am aware of the work the Minister of State is doing in proposing new legislation, through amendments to the Arterial Drainage Act, for how flood schemes can get planning permission. As somebody who knows the people whose houses were flooded and the business owners whose businesses were flooded and who were directly affected, I very much welcome that. The Minister of State has my full support for the work he is doing there.

The OPW does fantastic work in Wexford at some of the public sites. I encourage people to come and see sites such as Ferns Castle and the work that has been done at the JFK Arboretum and Tintern Abbey near New Ross. These are fantastic resources that are kept for the public good through the work the Minister of State and his officials do.

I want to raise one specific point, which is an application for coastal erosion flood relief measures that will be made shortly by Wexford County Council for a site at Ballyhealy in south Wexford. It is bearing the brunt of coastal erosion, with up to 3 m a year disappearing into the sea. It will shortly be too late for the families, businesses and houses there. The Department has significantly funded an area slightly upstream from where I am talking about, at Seaview. I am working closely with Councillor Frank Staples to access funding for works that could be done at the Ballyhealy site. I encourage the Minister of State to visit the site. An application will be made shortly by Wexford County Council. It is to be hoped that can be supported and the businesses and the residents who live on that piece of ground will have their property and land protected.

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to discuss matters related to the OPW. In the few minutes I have, I want to discuss three items of interest to my own area of south Galway. I would first like to speak about an issue raised by Senator Rabbitte, the south Galway-Gort lowlands flood relief scheme. As the Minister of State will know, the south Galway-Gort lowlands area is a low-lying karst landscape. There is no direct river running to the sea from a huge geographical area in south Galway.

In the event of a predicted high-rainfall incident such as a one-in-100-year flood event, 50 homes will flood, 175 homes and 46 businesses will be cut off for prolonged periods, 19 rural communities will be isolated, the M18 from Galway to Limerick will close, the Limerick–Galway rail line will close and Crowe Street in Gort will be under water for a prolonged period. This has been seen a number of times during my lifetime and there is a lot of anxiety in the area about it. It is of great importance to the area to get the project moving as a matter of urgency.

The second thing I would like to raise with the Minister of State is the Kilmacduagh monastic site, which is an historic site under the control of the OPW just outside Gort, between Gort and Kinvara. The round tower at Kilmacduagh is Ireland's tallest. It is in impeccable condition, as is the whole site. It was built by St. Colman in the eighth century and remains one of our finest examples of a monastic settlement from that period. However, over the last ten years or more local people have noticed an increased lean in the tower. It has had a slight lean for over two centuries but over the last ten years this has been noticed to have increased. It has been monitored mechanically over the past three years and, over that period, the rate of increase in the lean has worryingly accelerated.

The site is an OPW site. It is one of our finest examples of a round tower in the country. If it were to collapse, it would be a national tragedy. Therefore, I ask the Minister of State to intervene with the OPW and ask for the necessary stabilisation works to be carried out on the tower as a matter of urgency. If it collapses and we are left with a pile of stones, it will be too late and a tragedy that cannot be undone will have taken place.

The third thing I would like to mention is a property not yet under the control of the OPW, namely, Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, on the Wild Atlantic Way. Dunguaire Castle was previously under the ownership and management of the Shannon Group, along with the castle in Limerick city and Bunratty Castle. When the Shannon Group removed itself from the tourism infrastructure sector, it handed over Bunratty and the castle in Limerick to the relevant local authorities. However, over the last two and a half years, Galway County Council has procrastinated and has not yet taken ownership of the castle. During that time, the main tourist attraction in the town of Kinvara - the most photographed castle in Ireland - has remained closed to the public. Hundreds of tourists pass by every day. I urge the Minister of State to intervene and consider the potential for the OPW to take ownership of this property. As Galway County Council continues to procrastinate, the castle remains closed.

I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad. I acknowledge the incredible amount of work he and his office have done. When there were flooding issues across the whole country recently, including in the east but also in the west, he came down to my area and really looked after the people in Listowel and Killocrim, which were totally devastated. Their lives were turned upside down by the recent flooding. To the Minister of State, his Department, Martina, his secretary, and all involved, thanks a million from the people of Listowel.

There has been a lot of poor publicity from Deputies in the Dáil recently suggesting that Listowel's full flood relief scheme is in jeopardy. I want the Minister of State to clarify whether it is ploughing ahead, along with the schemes for Kenmare and Tralee. One thing I have told the people in the Listowel area is that the early flood alert system has to be installed before any flood relief scheme is delivered. That will allay any fears people have downstream. I sought this the last time in the context of the Minister of State's emergency works. I did not get it then, so I urge the Minister of State to ensure it is put in place before the full flood relief scheme is completed. There is an area at the "Big Bridge" entering Listowel that is overgrown completely. This is going to cause flooding come the early autumn or at another time with high water, so I ask the OPW to take measures to address this as quickly as it can.

My final point, which I am raising for a family, concerns the relocation programme the Minister of State and his Department put in place. The last four families have been settled. The final family, from Listowel, received three procurement offers from the OPW and secured the last one because they were being outpriced. They are now in financial difficulty because the procurement moneys from the OPW were below the cost of buying. They are now in a lot of financial debt. Is there anything the OPW can do in that case, given that the money was secured on the buying of the property?

I thank the Minister of State for his wonderful work.

I call Senator Scahill. Brevity is key.

I do not have time to compliment Westmeath on its win on Sunday, so I will move on quickly. I compliment the Minister of State on the Lough Funshinagh flood relief scheme, the communication around it and the recent public consultation to identify the best option for Roscommon County Council to submit with the strongest prospect of success before An Coimisiún Pleanála. I also compliment him on his engagement with the communities throughout the whole process.

However, the matter I wish to raise with the Minister of State today is Rathcroghan, Tulsk. I know from the smirk on his face that he has spoken recently to Councillor Liam Callaghan, Mr. Ger Healy and a few such people in relation to this. Rathcroghan is the ancient capital site of Connacht and a site we are very proud of. There is an unbelievable visitor experience there for anyone who finds himself or herself in west Roscommon anytime soon. Visitors can experience archaeology, mythology and history all in one place and can see the oldest and largest unexcavated royal site in Europe.

There is a parallel project, Farming Rathcroghan. It is all about the preservation of the historical sites and working with the farmers in the area. We have had a lot of success recently with the support of the Minister of State responsible for heritage, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, the Heritage Council and the National Monuments Service. However, we need additional support. If we do not receive it, the scheme, which should be the flag-bearer for the preservation of every historical site across Europe, will disappear. In five or ten years' time, we will be trying to come up with a project to preserve these sites and we will have lost the blueprint created in Rathcroghan.

If the Minister of State present, Deputy Moran, would not mind telling me in his response when I can expect to see him in Tulsk, I will happily roll out the red carpet.

I wish to share my time with Senator Tully, with each of us having five minutes.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Thankfully, I have time to congratulate Armagh on its win in the Ulster Senior Football Championship on Sunday after a titanic struggle with Monaghan. It is our first title in 18 years, which is being greatly celebrated at home. I hope the GAA takes note of the continued importance of the provincial championships, not just to footballers but also to fans, because their significance seems to have been diminished in recent years in the context of the organisation of the all-Ireland championships. The provincial titles are clearly still of great importance to all Gaels.

The Minister of State is very welcome. Like others, I recognise the good work being done by the OPW across numerous projects and the technical expertise displayed by its staff in restoring and maintaining heritage sites and other buildings. One example is Kilmainham Gaol, of whose significance people will know. It is a national monument now but for decades it was left in a state of disrepair. Without the sterling efforts of numerous volunteers and the petitioning of the Government to take control of the site, it might have fallen into complete disrepair. Since it was taken over in the 1980s, the OPW has done a great job renovating and maintaining it, as evidenced by the huge number of visitors each year. I had an opportunity to visit a number of years ago. There is a fascinating history of Ireland, not just political but also social, contained within the site.

There is no doubt that very good work is done by the OPW across the State. There are, unfortunately, examples of failures of governance. The Committee of Public Accounts, PAC, has, on numerous occasions, raised persistent issues regarding the scale of cost overruns on major projects. Whether the projects are flood relief schemes, heritage restorations or major capital projects, the story is quite similar: underestimated budgets, shifting scopes and costs spiralling far beyond what was originally approved. These overruns represent real money diverted from other priorities, such as schools, hospitals and front-line services. The PAC has also repeatedly highlighted procurement non-compliance within the OPW. Procurement rules exist to protect the taxpayer and ensure fairness. When they are not adhered to, confidence in public administration is undermined.

Another recurring theme is weak project planning and governance. The OPW has technical expertise, which nobody doubts, but PAC hearings show that this expertise is not matched by the financial and managerial discipline required for major capital delivery.

The committee has also raised serious concerns about property leasing and rental management, with the State being locked into long, expensive leases and sometimes paying above market rents for years. The Minister of State will have a full agenda for the length of his tenure, but I hope that he will address some of those issues over the course of his time in office.

In his opening address, one of the first matters the Minister of State referred to was the progress made in relation to the Moore Street project, which has gone to tender stage. I remind him of my colleague Teachta Aengus Ó Snodaigh's cultural quarter Bill, which was supported by the Dáil and which mandates the Government to protect the Moore Street battlefield area. The latter includes Moore Street, Henry Place, O'Rahilly Parade and Moore Lane. I hope that this project will then be treated with the respect it deserves in the context of the potential of the area to be a cultural quarter for that part of Dublin. God knows, O'Connell Street and other places on the other side of the river could do with some support and a boost in terms of tourism and development. This is a significant opportunity, and the matter comes under the Minister of State's remit.

I hope that the Minister of State and the Government will support the Bill in question, which, as I said, was supported in the Dáil and the purpose of which is to protect that area of Dublin and make sure - as has been the case with other monuments and sites of national importance, whether they date back through the ages or are from our more recent revolutionary history - that this site is protected. We have numerous examples of the value of sites of this nature, not just in terms of tourism but also for educating young people in Ireland. I will leave that with the Minister of State.

Much has been said about the good work the OPW does, and I acknowledge that. However, there is also deep frustration about the number of buildings which are left lying idle for many years. Some of these buildings could be used as dwelling places and community spaces. I want to raise a couple of them with the Minister of State in the context of County Cavan.

I live near the village of Kilnaleck in County Cavan. There is a house there that is attached to the Garda station. It was used to house gardaí over the years. The Garda sergeant and his family lived there for many years, but it has been lying idle for in excess of 20 years at this stage. Members of a local community group, which I was a member of at the time, wrote to the OPW around 20 years ago asking for the house to be transferred for community use. That request was refused. I raised the matter at a joint policing committee meeting a number of years ago and said that the properly could be used to house gardaí, because they are finding it difficult to pay rent like the rest of us, or given over to or sold to the local authority, whatever the mechanism is, to house a family. We are in the middle of a housing crisis and this house, which was recently renovated and which looks to be in good condition, could be used to house a family or members of An Garda Síochána. It is very frustrating that I cannot get an answer as to its intended use. It has been sitting there idle in the middle of the village idle for all of these years.

Other requests have been made in relation to disused Garda stations being used as community spaces, and lots of community groups are looking for that. Again, however, they cannot a clear answer. I looked on the OPW site and saw properties listed as ready for disposal. I do not know if that they are going to be sold on the open market or if they are going to be transferred to community groups. Does that happen? What is the mechanism in that regard?

I am also interested in an OPW site near Ballyconnell in County Cavan which is for sale. It is located on the Border road adjacent to the old A.W. Ennis mill. Previously, there was a Customs and Excise hut at the site. Local representatives are wondering whether the money received for this site will be ring-fenced for the local community or whether it just all goes back into a big pot.

Another issue I wish to raise relates to OPW's Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre. Are there any plans to update the information provided to the public at this site on the basis of the recent discovery of a document confirming the transfer of Royal African Company shares from the notorious slave trader Edward Colston to King William III? This transfer made William governor of the largest transatlantic slave company operating at the time. The Dutch Parliament published a report entitled State and Slavery in 2023. It was the first report to quantify the financial value of colonial trade to the Dutch House of Orange. The basis of that trade included enslaving at least 600,000 African men, women and children and between 650,000 and 1 million people from Asia. The report indicates that the colonial profit for King William III, who was Prince of Orange as well King of England and who exerted control over Ireland and Scotland, and to his successors as Prince of Orange, Willem IV and Willem V, would be £465 million in today's money. Independent research commissioned by the current King of the Netherlands due to be published in September will also confirm that King Billy was a slave trader. Are there plans for the OPW to update the information provided to the public at the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre at the Oldbridge Estate, Drogheda, County Louth?

There are a number of speakers who want to come in. We can allow three minutes each. Is that agreed? Agreed. We will start with Senator Fitzpatrick.

As a Dub, it would be bad grace of me not to welcome the Minister of State. Beidh lá eile ar ár lads. There is no doubt about that.

The OPW has a really important remit. It is pivotal to minding, operating, planning, developing and delivering our public buildings, heritage, national monuments and, obviously, responding to and mitigating against flood risk. In the constituency in which I live, I am really privileged. People in the capital city are really privileged. The Phoenix Park, the Botanic Gardens and Collins Barracks have all been delivered by the OPW. They are top-quality, world-class visitor attractions, and they are all free. There is no charge, and people will not a better quality experience. They are just fantastic. They are a pleasure and a treasure. I commend everybody in the OPW who has worked on the delivering them and who continues to work to deliver such really top-class, world-class sites and monuments.

I have to say, however, that I am sick taking it in the back of the neck for things like shelters for two-wheeled vehicles. I am absolutely sick hearing about that, because people are really angry when they see taxpayers' money being wasted. The Minister of State knows - he has been here previously to reply to Commencement matters I have raised, and I thank him for giving his time - about Moore Street, which was mentioned by another Senator. I was first elected in 2004. The Government designated 14 to 17 Moore Street as a national monument in 2007. In 2016, 100 years after the Easter Rising, the State acquired the site. It is now 2026. I appreciate that the project has gone to tender. I thank that Minister of State for making that happen, but I ask him to make it his ambition to deliver it before the next general election.

Another is project is that relating to the family law courts complex at Hammond Lane. My colleague Senator Clifford-Lee has raised this issue ad nauseam. I mean no disrespect to the Senator in saying that, she is truly hoarse from raising it. Hammond Lane has been in the works since 2007. The pace is glacial. That is inexcusable and completely unacceptable from the public's perspective.

The final matter I wish to raise relates to the GPO. I am absolutely delighted that the Government has made a significant commitment to not allow the GPO to become just another vacant property. It has been designated within the national development plan, and €500 million in capital funding has been earmarked for its development. The GPO has enormous potential. O'Connell Street is already an architectural conservation area. There are great things happening in the area. The Minister of State has given a commitment in respect of it. The new poetry museum and the city library in Parnell Square are there. Also, there are plans for the Rotunda Hospital. There is lots happening there, but we need to ensure that the project relating to the GPO does not take another 20 years. That cannot be allowed to happen. The OPW must prove that it can work faster, smarter and more affordably.

I just want to advert to a couple of things that Senator McCarthy mentioned. I refer to the fast-disappearing traditional crafts that we have around the country. For instance, thatching, wheelwrighting, boatbuilding and steam-bending, the Minister of State knows them far better than I do. The list is long. It is the case that the people who can do them are disappearing or that it is very difficult to find places where the skills are being continued. Can the Minister of indicate if we are looking to the historic environment division in the North of Ireland to maybe enhance provision on both sides of the Border? Across the water, there is an extremely imaginative scheme that we could replicate here.

It involves what are called cathedral workshops. The cathedrals of Canterbury, Chichester and St. Albans are Anglican but I think both the Church of Ireland and the Catholic dioceses - God knows they are cash-strapped enough at this stage - would be happy to engage with the Minister of State on providing their buildings for apprenticeships and courses of that nature. Everybody would be winning out of it, both the participants and the churches, which have flagging numbers and diminishing resources. The Government would symbiotically get a great kickback from such things. Are those things thought about or in existence? I do not know about them if they are.

On a personal note, I thank the Minister of State for his great response to the recent flooding in Passage East. He came down on a Sunday morning and engaged with the people there and it was deeply appreciated. I thank him on their behalf.

We have in Waterford a beautiful house that was taken over by Waterford City and County Council called Mount Congreve House and Gardens. It does not run cheap. Is the Minister of State amenable to discussing this with the chief executive? Maybe there could be partnership and support. I do not think the council has the facility to continually bail it out every year. It takes a while for this to build up a head of steam and an acceptance among the population. Will the Minister of State contact the chief executive, Seán McKeown, in Waterford City and County Council and have a word about Mount Congreve House and Gardens?

The Minister of State is welcome. I recognise the good work he and the OPW are doing but the public is fed up hearing about waste in the OPW. I hope that is something the Minister of State will focus on. Every few months there seems to be another headline, another figure and another project that has gone badly wrong: €20 million spent on leasing buildings that are lying empty; €300,000 on a bike shed in Leinster House; the security hut; and over €4.2 million spent on a children's science centre that was never built. Ordinary workers who pay tax every week look at that and ask how it keeps happening and why so little is thought of their hard-earned money.

The problem is when projects go over budget, our oversight completely fails. Nobody ever seems to be accountable. There is no one person or team that is clearly accountable. If nobody is responsible, then nothing changes, there are no consequences and there are no learnings from mistakes. I want to know what the Minister of State will do about that. We have previously proposed a junior Minister to be tasked with responsibility for overseeing State projects to monitor spending. Is there a project monitor assigned for large capital products in the OPW?

One of the main priorities for the Minister of State should be tracking and oversight of the public spend. Transaction numbers already exist on payments. The question is why they are not being linked back to the original tender and contract award notices so projects can be tracked properly from start to finish. Will the OPW move to link those transaction numbers to individual projects? That would allow Members of this House and the public to clearly see how much money is spent on a project, whether it came in under budget or over budget, and whether overruns occurred. We often see broad headings such as "€100 million on construction costs" but that tells us very little. We do not know how much went to each project and whether we got value for money. We need to drill down into those figures. The Government and the Minister of State cannot allow public money to be spent with little oversight and no responsibility when something goes wrong.

I have three questions about things in my local area. The Bailieborough Garda station was announced in 2015. It was supposed to be opened early this year, according to the response the last time I had a Commencement debate. It is still not open. Does the Minister of State have a date for its opening? I would like to find information on the rivers in Cavan and Monaghan under the responsibility of the OPW. What rivers are they? What are the OPW's plans for the closed Garda station in Stradone?

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his comprehensive report on the work of the Office of Public Works and the priorities and progress statement. I also thank him for his drive and enthusiasm since he became Minister of State in this area.

I will single out three projects I am associated with. First, the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin is the jewel in the crown, the greatest oasis, rated as the best - outside of Edinburgh - botanical gardens in the world. I trained there for a number of years and know it well. I have been to Kew and worked in many botanic gardens across Europe and I know it is a wonderful jewel in the crown. I thank the OPW; Matthew Jebb, director of the National Botanic Gardens; and his staff. I make one ask. The fern house there is falling to the ground. There are various sites and planning permissions for it. I was out there Sunday week and again saw it all boarded up - what a shame. The great Victoria amazonica aquatic pool plant is no longer there. I know that is a project in hand and at some time the Minister of State might apprise us of progress there.

The next thing for which I thank the Office of Public Works is the acquisition of Kilmacurragh house in County Wicklow, a further extension of the National Botanic Gardens. I am delighted to say I was there two weeks ago and saw the restoration the Minister of State has been involved in, that he has driven and is determined to see, albeit incrementally. It is an impressive operation and the house is being restored. That is an amazing piece of work and an amazing site. I ask people to go and see it.

Finally, at Altamont House and Gardens in County Carlow, we see the Office of Public Works undertaking a massive restoration of a period house. It acquired that place. What is great about the OPW is it is a national organisation. We in Dublin are privileged and lucky, as are some of the larger cities, to have period gardens. What I particularly like about Altamont is you can go there for free. Every garden and public space I visit around Ireland outside Dublin and the big towns, there is a charge for it. In this case, however, there is no charge. There is a mere ask to put €1 in a machine to park for two hours at Altamont, which is very reasonable and fair. It has the most famous collection of snowdrops - Galanthus to those who know them. That is a wonderful achievement.

I have a huge interest in Irish heritage gardens and all botanical and horticultural matters. I never visit any of those three sites without being exceptionally proud of the amazing horticulture and of the skill and artistry of horticulture and landscape design. I commend the Office of Public Works. When it restores homes in the hearts of estates, and these oases, they become alive. There are coffee shops, artisan foods and other activities. I say and ask the Minister of State to convey to the people involved: well done to the Office of Public Works. Well done also to the Minister of State, who I know to be centrally involved in driving three key projects in the past 12 months.

I want to praise the Minister of State and the Office of Public Works for the development of flood schemes across west Cork in the past ten to 15 years. The towns of Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen have been protected from floods for many years ahead. Some of these towns are going through public realm works. We see footpath improvements, pavement works and town enhancements.

The "but" is that Bantry is a town I want to see delivery on. The Minister of State is a man who has worked hard on flood schemes in his own town and throughout the country. Bantry is by the sea and experiences both tidal flooding and fluvial river flooding. A scheme is being developed in conjunction with Cork County Council to upgrade a culvert. It is at detailed design stage and due to go to construction next year. It is expected to cost up to €30 million. Following on from that will be the overall flood scheme in the town, which is expected to start in 2030 or 2031. I praise the OPW for schemes in other towns but Bantry is a town that has been left behind. Now we are seeing development through the stages. I am looking for a clear commitment from the Minister of State and Government that Bantry will be funded and the culvert will be upgraded once and for all so that Bantry can be supported and no more flooding will happen in the town.

I thank the Senators for their thoughtful remarks and engagement. I deeply appreciate their support and the insights shared in the House. The work of the OPW is built on collaboration through partnership with other State bodies, communities and colleagues. We all hope we can continue to make this progress.

I assure Senators that the OPW remains fully committed to serving the public, protecting our heritage and strengthening our resilience against challenges, such as flooding. We are passionate about what we do and we approach every task with humility and a genuine desire to make a difference.

I hear people. I cannot respond to everybody individually. Senator Clifford-Lee knows I have set up a meeting. Senator Rabbitte knows the commitment I have given, as does Senator Fitzpatrick. I could talk about flooding until the cows come home. I know more about it than most. We have discussed some measures today. We have moved from €750,000 to €2 million under the minor works scheme. It is up to the Senators. Each and everyone in the House plays a part. Senators must go to the local authorities and encourage them to get their minor works applications into my Department so I can fund the projects. I brought about these changes to make it easier for local authorities to have access to funding to deliver for the people the Senators represent.

We talk about Storm Chandra. Nobody heard about interim measures. Nobody heard about aqua dams. We brought foresight. We experienced ourselves how interim measures worked. We worked in Kerry with various different projects. We brought that work to Storm Chandra, and I delivered. Local authorities are now going to deliver the work in progress before the end of the year. Most of this work does not need planning permission, but if it does, it goes through a Part 8 process over which the local authorities have control. We are very much in that space of delivery.

Nobody is more keenly driven by heritage than me. I have driven right across Ireland, from Donegal to Kerry and back. We are hell-bent on delivering on projects. It is not easy to do every project. It is impossible, because the funding is not there. The money that is available to me I wisely choose to use in different locations, geographically spread, so that everybody gets a piece of it. We are not able to do it all, but I assure everyone in the House that I am keenly driven. I was the first Minister of State to allow access to all our OPW sites to children for free. Our sites got 13.5 million visitors last year. That tells you the commitment we have within the OPW to deliver.

Some people asked about Garda stations. If we have a Garda station or any other building, we offer it to the local authority first and then all the other agencies. If they take up the offer, they get first priority on the building. Other than that, we work with the Garda and either put the building up for sale or up for auction. I have no control of that until the Garda releases the building to me. We then move on the property.

There has been a lot of talk of overspending. I assure everyone here that, in the past 16 or 17 months, we have brought in changes. I am the first one. I will not run. I am the Minister of State. I am the accountable person. I am the person who will stand up and stand over what happens within the OPW. That is my job, as the Minister of State. We had problems in the past. I acknowledged that when I stood up today. I have also acknowledged the changes we have brought about within the OPW. Everything we do now goes through a cost-benefit analysis. My Department and I make sure. My Chairman is very committed, as am I. We work closely with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, on delivering projects for the future of the country.

Senators talked about all the lovely gardens. We spoke about the National Botanic Gardens and all those beautiful places. I love them, no more than the Senators. Everyone in Ireland loves them. People come to Ireland to visit these sites. It is extraordinary. Look at Dublin Castle. We talk about the EU Presidency coming. I have seen at first hand the work that is being done in Dublin Castle. It is not just for the EU Presidency but for years to come. The benefit for this country, going forward, will be enormous.

I appreciate everybody in the House. I say to everyone that my office is like a clinic on a Wednesday evening. I am probably the most accessible Minister of State you will get. My office is open to anybody. There are people in the House to whom I have never spoken or engaged with. If people want to engage with me, that is fine. Senator McCarthy is looking at me, but I am not referring to him. He asked me a question earlier and said there was a letter on my desk. There is, but I do not think the property in question belongs to the OPW. I think it belongs to Waterways Ireland. I will respond to him in due course. I assure all Senators that if they need or want me, I am here at their beck and call, and my office is always open.

I am clearly driven and passionate about the OPW, particularly on the flood side of things. I have to and want to deliver to protect communities. I see at first hand how flooding affects people mentally. It affects houses and businesses, and everybody. It does not just affect those people but also the wider community that is not flooded. When my town of Athlone flooded, the town was not closed down but people said Athlone was flooded so people did not come into town. I know the effect on businesses.

I am proud to be a Westmeath man. I will tell the House a story. Twenty-two years ago, I had to be brought home by gardaí one night when we won the Leinster championship. I was leaving a venue in Mullingar. This was very special to the older community in Westmeath. They thought they would never see it but they saw it. Long may it continue. There was great success for Roscommon and us. That is the centre of the universe, and long may it continue.