Budget for new Laois Offaly Garda Headquarters doubled to €51 million

The budget for the new Laois Offaly Garda Divisional Headquarters in Portlaoise has risen by €26 million to €51 million, or more than double its €25 million estimate in 2021.

Last week the Office of Public Works(OPW) stated that the project is “on budget and on time” but claimed that a €34 million contract figure published on the main contractor Duggan Brothers' website was “incorrect”.  

The latest figure of €51 million was revealed by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan following the budget earlier this month. His Department issued a statement saying €51 million is being set aside for the project which is due to be completed in 2027. 

Minister O’Callaghan announced a total of €5.78 billion in current expenditure and €390 million in capital investment for 2026.  The largest ever budget allocated to the justice sector. Work on Portlaoise Garda Station was among the spending listed by the Department.   

“Construction will also advance on the €18m Newcastle West, and €51m Portlaoise Garda Stations, with construction of new stations at Macroom and Clonmel commencing in the coming weeks. A new PEMS store at Tallaght will also advance next year,” the Department said in the statement on spending. 

When asked whether the refurbishment and extension of Portlaoise Garda Station was on time and on budget, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: “This project is under the OPW who have responsibility for the management of the Garda estate and all capital works… your query would be best directed to the OPW.”

The Department was then asked whether the statement it had issued in relation to the budget was correct. However, the spokesperson failed to respond. 

The OPW said “the refurbishment of the existing Garda station which is located within a historic Fort is currently underway, it includes the construction of a significantly larger part two/part three storey extension at the rear of the station and the construction of new three-storey over basement building.” 

Pictured above: Work on the new Laois Offaly Garda Divisional Headquarters in Portlaoise is ongoing

“The new three-storey building will be constructed on the site to the rear of the existing Garda station site. The construction period is 28 months. The project is currently on budget and on time. The OPW continue to work closely in collaboration with the main contractor, reserved specialists, design team, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in delivering this important project to provide a state of the art, Divisional Garda Headquarters in Portlaoise.” 

When asked about the €34 million contract price published by Duggan Brothers, an OPW spokesperson said: “I can confirm that the figure quoted on the Duggan website is incorrect.”

The Leinster Express/Laois Live then asked what the budget was for the garda station but no response was forthcoming.

In May of 2021, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Patrick O’Donovan replied to a question from Brian Stanley TD in relation to the project. “The total project budget is estimated to be in the region of €25m,” Dep O’Donovan said at the time. 

Speaking last week Dep Stanley said the garda station work needs to be done and he welcomed the fact that it was happening. “It needs to be extended and upgraded and there is no argument with that,” he remarked.

“I am interested in knowing how it has doubled in price over that four year period. I have submitted parliamentary questions to the Minister for Justice to try and understand what is happening here. It is a huge variation in terms of the gap and I think that we need to know what has happened,” said Dep Stanley.  

He acknowledged the substantial inflation in the past four years but said the doubling of the contract seemed excessive. 

“It is the OPW and there is a number of projects that they are doing that seem to be running over budget. What we need to know here is has there been additional work added on? Has there been a change to what is required in the contract? We don’t know that,” he said. 

Dep Stanley also said issues could have arisen when the works got underway at the former garda station building in Portlaoise. He wants clarification from the Minister for Justice in relation to the project.

The Station's revamp had been campaigned for over several years. It was included in the Garda Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021. Plans were drawn up for it to be the Laois Offaly headquarters had to be shelved when it emerged that Kildare was to be merged with the two county division.

New plans were then drawn up to accommodate Kildare gardaí. While the Kildare Division was later removed from the plan, the project proceeded without further revision.

Issues were also caused by the need to relocate a transit station for Irish soldiers going on duty at Portlaoise Prison. A building at Portlaoise Garda station was used for this purpose but it was earmarked for demolition so that a new wing could be built at the Station.

The OPW built a new high security transit facility for the soldiers but it ended up never being used for the purpose intended because the Government decided to cease deploying soldiers to the prison.

The sod was turned on construction of the new Laois Offaly Garda Headquarters in November 2024 by the then Taoiseach Simon Harris.