€50,000 a year to maintain vacant Govt offices in Navan

The cost of renting an alternative building for the Department of Agriculture and the Probation and Welfare Service staff who were moved out of their former offices in a building at Kells Road, Navan, because of a health hazard, is €573,000 a year, the Dail has been told. There is also an additional cost of €50,000 for maintaining the old building, which is no longer in use. A health and safety order was put on the Kells Road building after a number of hazards were found there and the staff were relocated to a building at Athlumney. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance has now ruled out accommodating community groups in the former Department of Agriculture and Probation and Welfare Service vacant building on the Kells Road. Meath West Fine Gael Deputy Damien English raised the matter in the Dail. He said the staff in the building had been relocated when safety hazards were found there. The TD asked the Minister of State what options were being considered for the long-term use of the building. He suggested it be made available to community and voluntary groups. The minister replied that they were currently debating whether to retain the building or not but were not presently considering accommodating local groups in the facility. Deputy English said his main concern was that this would become another derelict building and an eyesore in Navan. "Better use must be made of our State assets. "There are plenty of local groups, clubs and voluntary organisations crying out for space to operate from and this building would be ideal for their needs. I was very disappointed by the minister's response. This building was vacated in 2007 and every day that Fianna Fail delays on making a decision on the future of the building costs the taxpayer money," he said. He queried the annual cost of renting offices for the displaced staff. Details of the renting and maintenance costs were revealed by Minister Martin Mansergh. Deputy English said the cost of renting and maintenance was "a scandalous waste of taxpayers' money that cannot be excused". He added: "Our Government lacks progressive vision for our country's assets and it is costing the taxpayer heavily."