Mansergh attends sod turning for the new Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service and Tipperary Town Council Civic Offices, Tipperary Town

Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Dr. Martin Mansergh TD accompanied by the Minister for Justice, Mr. Dermot Ahern TD today attended a sod turning ceremony in Tipperary Town for the new Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service and Tipperary Town Council Civic Offices.

Speaking at the ceremony Dr. Mansergh said ‘I would like to welcome warmly the Minister for Justice and Law Reform Dermot Ahern and his officials to the town, some of whom are of course already based here. This is the second time in a week that I have assisted the Minister, the first being at the opening of the new Garda Station in Buncrana last Monday.’

Dr. Mansergh also said that ‘The Department of Justice and Law Reform has a special relationship with Co. Tipperary, going back to the opening of the Garda College in Templemore by Charles Haughey as Minister in 1964.’ 

The Minister continued ‘That decentralisation is coming to fruition in Tipperary is a fulfilment of the vision of the people of the town, but also of the public representatives of the South County who remained united behind a common strategy and I would like in particular to pay special thanks to the dogged determination of the decentralisation committee.’

The Minister continued ‘I believe in decentralisation, and am present in the OPW’s new Headquarters in Trim any non-sitting day that I am in the office.  I have visited recently fine new decentralised offices in Buncrana and Wexford.

The Minister concluded ‘An office such as this provides a broader mix of employment in the town, will also help support commercial business and investment, and help maintain the viability of local sporting and cultural facilities. This site is within easy walking distance of the town centre and its amenities. OPW is procuring the construction of both buildings, under one Design Build contract, in a joint development with South Tipperary County Council and Tipperary Town Council. The INIS and Civic Office buildings will be separate and distinguishable from each other, but will proceed simultaneously under a single contract.

Following a competitive tender competition, a contract to construct the new offices has been awarded to JSL Group Ltd.  It is expected that the buildings will be completed at the end of next year.

The new INIS offices will provide accommodation for 188 staff in a two and three storey building of 4,404m². The Civic Offices will accommodate over 40 staff in a three-storey building of 1971m², which will also include a single storey Council chamber. I might mention that the site was acquired by the Office of Public Works from the Sisters of Mercy, Sr. Martina Fox acting as their head.  The town will be grateful to the Sisters for this, as indeed for their long record of service to the town for at least 140 years, both charitable and educational.’