No funding for garda station revamp in 2012

The long wait for the planned multi-million euro refurbishment of Athlone Garda Station looks set to continue - after the Office of Public Works (OPW) confirmed there is no indication of funding becoming available for the project this year. Rumbling on for many years now, the saga to replace the current cramped westside station doesn't look to have any positive prospects of progressing in the short-term, despite the fact that as many as 80 building contractors had expressed an interest to build the new barracks, estimated to cost in the region of €8.8 million last year. A spokesperson for the Office of Public Works explained this week that the project is under consideration with a view to going to tender in due course. However, there is no indication of funding becoming available for the project in 2012, she added, confirming fears locally that the barracks project is still several years away from builders coming on-site. Earlier this year during a visit to Athlone, the Junior Minister with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Brian Hayes admitted that they didn't think they would be in a position to progress the barracks project this year but he hoped to prioritise it in the coming years. The project covers the renovation of the current station, the renovation of the old Social Welfare building and the construction of an annex connecting the two buildings. It's thought once funding is in place and it is put out to tender that the development would take up to 18 months to complete. In September 2011, Minister Hayes toured the current Garda station, telling the Westmeath Independent afterwards that the station was cramped and unacceptable for the 70 officers based there. He confirmed at that stage that the OPW had received 80 expressions of interest on the project and it was up to him and the Minister to secure funding from the Department of Finance.