Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has voiced serious concern over what he describes as the complete mismanagement of public funds in relation to the long-delayed Greystones Coast Guard Station project at Greystones Harbour. Figures that Deputy Brady received from the Department of Transport show that the Office of Public works (OPW) has spent €302,241.15 on the project to date, despite not a sod being turned on site.
Commenting on the situation, Deputy Brady said:
“Since planning permission was first granted by Wicklow County Council in 2020, the Greystones Coast Guard Station project has been plagued by a litany of delays. These include a complete redesign midway through the process, the need to submit fresh planning applications, and repeated setbacks that have caused mounting frustration—both among Coast Guard personnel and the wider community.
Now, nearly five years later, we have yet to see any construction begin. I have received a breakdown of the project’s costs from the Fianna Fáil Minister, and I am frankly dismayed to learn that over €302,241.15 has already been spent—despite not a single sod being turned on-site. This level of expenditure, with no physical progress to show for it, is deeply alarming and raises serious questions about the oversight and management by the Department of Transport and the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The Coast Guard Station is not a luxury—it is an essential piece of infrastructure that plays a critical role in protecting the lives of those along our coastline. The prolonged delays are putting both Coast Guard personnel and the local community at risk. At present, the Greystones unit remains stationed in a premises that is wholly unfit for purpose, while this cumbersome and costly process drags on.
The tendering process is now finally nearing its conclusion. The OPW is expected to submit a tender assessment report and recommendation to the Department of Transport by the end of April 2025, with a view to awarding the construction contract shortly thereafter. Construction costs are estimated to be in the region of €6million. However, given the protracted timeline, excessive spending, and the repeated obstacles faced, confidence in the OPW—both nationally and certainly here in Wicklow—has been severely undermined.
I will continue to hold both the Department of Transport and the OPW to account, to ensure that this project is moved swiftly to the construction phase. I will also be scrutinising all future expenditure to safeguard taxpayer money and will follow up directly with the Minister’s department to demand transparency and accountability.
This project has dragged on for far too long. The Coast Guard, and the people of Greystones, deserve better.” Ends
For more information contact: Deputy John Brady 085-8546464
