Construction To Begin On New Midlands Garda Headquarters Next Year

Tuesday, 19 October 2021 10:32

It'll cater for the 500,000 people living in Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.

Construction on a new garda headquarters in Portlaoise is set to begin in the second half of next year.

It'll cater for the country's largest garda division, serving half a million people in Laois, Offaly and Kildare.

The project will see the existing garda divisional headquarters restored, plus a major extension into the adjoining Department of Defence property.

It's due to go to tender in the first quarter of 2022, while it's hoped a two-year contract can be agreed next summer and works will begin in the second half of the year.

The new station - extending to 4,000 square metres in size - will facilitate an increased number of gardaí and include a six cell unit.

Meanwhile, soldiers in Portlaoise are also getting a new home.

The Defence Forces agreed earlier this year to relocate from their existing location to an Irish Prison Service site beside the training centre adjacent to the Midlands Prison.

Planning application for the new facility was lodged earlier this year and is expected to be approved in the coming weeks.

Construction of both projects will proceed simultaneously.

The update on the project has been provided by Junior Minister for Finance and Laois-Offaly Fianna Fáil TD, Seán Fleming.