Update on refurbishment of Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station – November 2020

In recent days, Helen McEntee T.D., Minister for Justice provided me with an update on the progress being made to refurbish Fitzgibbon Street and to indicate when she expects the station to be re-opened and fully operational again.

To date, in 2020, €6m has been spent on the Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station refurbishment programme. Minister McEntee has confirmed that officials from the Office of Public Works, who are overseeing this project, expect full refurbishment of the station to be complete by mid-March 2021. On completion of this phase the building will be handed over to An Garda Síochána for IT and furniture fit outs.

I understand that it usually takes these fit outs are expected to take some weeks to complete. Minister McEntee advised me that the matter of a date for reopening the station is an operational one for the Garda Commissioner. Obviously, this will be subject to public health restrictions at the time, bearing the coronavirus pandemic in mind. Minister McEntee envisages, currently, however, that the station will reopen in mid-2021.

Let me assure you that both myself and local Fine Gael T.D., Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe will continue to keep updating you on the refurbishment works for Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station. We will continue to drive this project, since Enda Kenny, our former Taoiseach committed to this project taking place until it re-opens and where Community Gardai are once again operating out of Fitzgibbon Street Station.