"The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the equipment, vehicles and facilities it needs to keep people safe. We have allocated over €2.4 billion under Budget 2025 to ensure the Commissioner has the resources he needs to deliver a world class policing service.

The refurbishment of the historic J Block symbolises the work carried out by Gardaí. This restored and repurposed building will facilitate the work of specialised units who can respond to the shifting challenges faced by Gardaí and the people they work to keep safe. While An Garda Síochána is rooted in community and tradition, and we must not lose sight of that, it is important to provide Gardaí with modern, fit-for-purpose facilities to allow them to deliver the world class policing service we require.

We will continue to deliver projects such as this into the future. Under the National Development Plan, the Government is committed to investing significant levels of capital funding into An Garda Síochána to deliver a Garda station modernisation and refurbishment programme; to delivering strategic ICT and digitalisation projects; and to providing a modern, fit for purpose Garda fleet.”

"I am delighted to be here today for the official opening of Block J, Garda HQ. The provision of this newly refurbished building is such an important development for policing and will continue to serve the community now and into the future.

The OPW, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and An Garda Síochána worked closely to deliver this ambitious project, which involved the full refurbishment and sensitive reorganisation of the building to accommodate a specialist police unit, delivering modern office accommodation while preserving the character of the heritage structure.

This building stands today as a testament to the value of investing in heritage assets and ensuring they can continue to serve vital functions in a modern, operational context. The project not only preserves a part of the nation’s architectural legacy but also delivers a state-of-the-art working environment for specialist units within our police force”.

“The origin of the J Block building dates back to 1842, and it holds historic significance in respect of Ireland’s policing history. J Block was first used as a barracks and training building, evolving to house administrative personnel and in more recent times to serve as a base of operations for An Garda Síochána’s ICT department. Now, following a significant refurbishment project, J Block has been modernised and will now be home to the Roads Policing Bureau, the Community Engagement Bureau and Youth Diversion Bureau. The office of the Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Roads Policing and Community Engagement is also based there. An Garda Síochána is delighted to be in a position today to officially re-open the building which will continue to support the delivery of policing operations in An Garda Síochána for many more years to come’’