Landmark OPW headquarters officially opened in Trim

The Office of Public Works' (OPW) new €37.7m headquarters in Trim was officially opened by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey last Thursday. The building, which covers over 8,000 square metres and stands four storeys tall in a unique circular shape, is currently home to some 220 OPW staff, with more staff expected to move to Trim over the coming months. The landmark building includes a full-height atrium through the core and a civic plaza to the front and was to be a focal point in the planned new Trim Town Centre. The site at Townspark, Trim, was purchased from Meath County Council at a cost of €3.6m and the building, which took two years to complete, was constructed in two phases by Bennett Construction, Mullingar. Construction and fit-out costs came to €32.2m. The first staff began moving into the building in the third quarter of last year and, when at full capacity, the building will cater for 366 staff. At the official opening, local businesses had the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the OPW staff. The guests were welcomed by OPW chairperson Clare McGrath who said that, after 96 years based at St Stephen's Green, Dublin, the OPW headquarters had now moved to Trim. She told how the OPW has 1,900 staff working in 135 locations across Ireland. Local PP Fr Sean Henry and Dean Robert Jones blessed the building, before Minister Dempsey unveiled the plaque. The minister said it was a great honour for him to open the OPW headquarters in his home town and it was a source of pride to have such a magnificent building in Trim. He said there was a long association between the OPW and the town and that, with Trim being a heritage town, it was particularly appropriate to have the OPW headquarters there. He added that the OPW had a huge role in the restoring Trim Castle and making it into such a fine monument. Mr Dempsey thanked the OPW staff for the successful decentralising project that had taken place and that is ongoing, and said it would not have happened without the co-operation of staff at all levels. "It brings huge benefits to the town and local community and business and I hope the benefits will be mutual for staff who will settle and live in the area. Trim is a beautiful town with a fantastic community and fantastic community spirit," he said. Mr Dempsey said he would take his share of the blame or credit regarding the OPW coming to Trim and said that when Charlie McCreevy was putting the decentralisation programme together, he told him that Trim was one of the selected areas and suggested various organisations that might fit the bill and asked for his preference. He added that 3,100 posts have been relocated to date to almost 40 locations and that full completion of the projects underway and approved would result in approximately 4,400 jobs overall. Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Dr Martin Mansergh, said the OPW has always had a strong presence in Meath, including at Brú na Bóinne and latterly the Battle of the Boyne site. He said the OPW had been represented in Trim for many years with its East Region Engineering Office and workshops and the National Monuments Depot. He said the opening officially marks the beginning of a new era for OPW presence in the area and their "commitment to developing and maintaining State infrastruture to the highest level". Mr Mansergh said that, as the first Minister of State for the OPW based in Trim, he was committed to being in his office most days when the Dail is not sitting and where at all possible, at least once a week. "I am confident that I and staff here will benefit from the very many amenities that Trim and its surrounding areas have to offer. Likewise, I am confident that Trim itself will benefit from the location here of the headquarters of the OPW which will contribute to the economic wellbeing of the area, and I welcome Trim Chamber of Commerce and the many businesses who have come here today to showcase what they have to offer," he said. More than 30 businesses from the locality had stalls set up in the foyer to showcase the various products and services on offer in the locality to the OPW staff. Local councillor Ronan McKenna, who was involved in organising the showcase, thanked the OPW for giving businesses the opportunity and said he was delighted to help facilitate the showcase. As the afternoon's events drew to a close, OPW chairperson Clare McGrath took the opportunity to ask the Transport Minister about getting a bus service for OPW staff in the mornings. An OPW minibus is currently used to bus staff to and from the headquarters as the first Bus Eireann coach does not leave Dublin until 10am each morning. Speaking afterwards, Mr Dempsey said he had raised the matter with CIE and would speak to them again but also said it is open to any private operator to apply for a licence. "If there is a need and it is not being met, it could be an opportunity for a local company or Dublin-based company to operate the service," he said. He added that staff are also travelling by bus to the nearby EU Food and Veterinary Office at Grange and that, between both, it should make for a viable service.