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Organisation information

About the Office of Public Works


Introduction

An Act of Parliament in 1831 established the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland (the Commissioners). The Act for the Extension and Promotion of Public Works in Ireland gave the Commissioners “power to appoint such staff as the Treasury might direct or approve in order to support them in their assigned functions” – that office is now called the Office of Public Works (OPW).

The OPW is a key service provider to the Government managing the Government’s estate portfolio, maintaining and presenting Ireland’s built heritage and leading Ireland’s flood risk management.

The OPW is recognised as playing an essential role in the work of Government. The organisation responds quickly and flexibly to the challenges of the day, and is vital to the success of the Programme for Government. The OPW’s overall high level mission is set out in its current ‘Statement of Strategy 2025-2028.’

“To sustainably manage the State’s property portfolio, Ireland’s flood risk and our national heritage, delivering value for money, excellent service and enduring infrastructure for the State.”

The OPW’s wide ranging remit includes the following key areas of work:

  • Managing 2,500 State properties, including around 530 office buildings for civil servants and more than 680 Garda bases.
  • Leading in the delivery of significant infrastructural projects and programmes for the State, including Brexit buildings at ports, the construction of the Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) Laboratory and the rapid build homes programme for Ukrainian families.
  • Maintaining and presenting iconic heritage properties, including two UNESCO world heritage locations of Scelig Mhichíl and Brú na Bóinne, 780 national monuments and over 5,000 acres of gardens and parklands.
  • Leading Ireland’s management of its flood risk at a time of climate crisis. This work includes implementing 150 flood relief schemes under the National Development Plan (NDP) to 2030. The OPW also maintains some 12,000km of river channels and 800km of embankments.
  • In line with the Interdepartmental Report on Coastal Change Management Strategy, the OPW is undertaking a lead role in the technical assessment of coastal erosion.
  • In addition, the OPW organises State events like Presidential visits, manages the State art collection, and oversees online sales of Government publications and provides election facilities for the State.

The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland

The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland (the Commissioners) were established under the Public Works (Ireland) Act 1831 for the extension and promotion of public works in Ireland. The functions and powers of the Commissioners have developed in Statute over the course of the past almost 200 years.

The Commissioners together constitute a body corporate whose powers and functions are conferred by statute. The Commissioners are responsible for the performance of those wide-ranging statutory functions, under the direction and control of the Minister. The Public Works (Ireland) (No.2) Act, 1846 provides that a maximum of five (5) Commissioners may be in place at any one time and that a minimum of two Commissioners is required to exercise the body’s statutory powers and functions.

Sections of the OPW

The OPW is made up of six divisions:

Further details as to the OPW’s structure and management tiers are available on Who Does What.

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