Issue Date: 25/11/2022
An Garda Síochána has opened its new facility at Military Road, Dublin 8. Walter Scott House was officially opened this morning by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee T.D and the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris.
Its development was commenced by the Office of Public Works in February 2020, and it was handed over earlier this month. When fully occupied and operational, up to 900 Garda personnel will be based at the location.
The building is named after Colonel Walter Scott, an Honorary Commissioner of the New York City Police and who presented An Garda Síochána, then the world’s youngest police service, with a $1,000 gold bond. The bond would sponsor the Scott Medal for valour – the highest accolade that can be bestowed upon a member of An Garda Síochána.
Among the units relocating from Harcourt Square to Walter Scott House are the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI), Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB).
Speaking at this morning’s opening, Commissioner Harris said, "This state-of-the-art building will house a number of Bureaus and operational units that were previously based in our Harcourt Square building, which we are currently vacating.
"This wonderfully designed building provides a high quality working environment for our personnel and I want to thank our colleagues in the Office of Public Works, the contractors, the Department of Justice and all who worked on it for providing us with such a building.
He added, "It is fitting in our centenary year that we are gaining a landmark building named after a man - Colonel Walter Scott – who nearly 100 years ago made such a lasting contribution to An Garda Síochána.”
Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee T.D said, "The people of Ireland take enormous pride in An Garda Síochána for the outstanding dedication and commitment they have to serving the public.
"Walter Scott House is a new building for a new generation of policing, adding capacity and capability to An Garda Síochána, to support the organisation in tackling crime and security threats with the most modern of facilities and technology.”
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan T.D, "Every generation of Gardaí has faced a succession of challenges, from their establishment a hundred years ago.
"We in the OPW work to support the mission of An Garda Síochána of keeping communities safe by providing the policing infrastructure capacity to meet operational needs.
"I am proud as Minister of the OPW to have worked so closely with the Minister for Justice and Commissioner Harris to deliver a top-of-the-range facility to the specifications of An Garda Síochána.”
