Call to knock down abandoned Navan building after arson attack

Gardaí in Navan are investigating an arson attack on an abandoned government building last week. Last Thursday, 18th August, at around 4pm, two fire units from the town and Navan gardaí were called to the building at the Kells Road, which formerly housed the Department of Agriculture and the Navan Probation & Welfare Service team before a 2007 safety order forced the evacuation of the building by its staff. Navan fire officers spent two hours at the scene extinguishing the before declaring the building safe at around 6pm. The building has been boarded up since the 2007 order but it is not the first time it has been a problem for local gardaí who identify it as a troublespot for youths. Thursday's fire took hold in a basement office after a hole was cut through external boards and the rest of the building's upper offices soon filled with smoke. As yet, there have been no arrests but gardaí carried out an examination of the scene at the premises, which they describe as an "ongoing problem". There has been no estimate on damage done as yet and the OPW has visibly increased security on the site since the attack. The vacant offices previously attracted criticism from local TD Damien English who, when in opposition, called the removal of staff to nearby Athlumney at a rental cost of €573,000 per annum a "scandalous waste" of taxpayers' money and added that, at the same time, it would cost a further €50,000 per annum on securing the old, vacant building. "My main concern is that this will 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 organisation crying out for space to operate from, this building would be ideal for their needs. This building was vacated in 2007 and every day Fianna Fail delay on making a decision on the future of the building costs the taxpayer money," he said back then. Cllr Tommy Reilly said the council at one point wanted to make the building a homeless shelter and was interested in using it, but finances just would not work out. "The government surveyed it to use it but the cost of doing so was way, way out after the health warnings about the building and said it would have to be demolished because it was in such bad nick. "There was talk of a road going through that area but with houses already around it, there's no way unless you demolish it. "I'm calling on the council to CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) it off the government and put the road through there and knock it down," he said. A request for more information on the future of the building was submitted to the OPW press office yesterday (Tuesday) but was not received in time to allow for a reply before we closed for press.