Former premises: The Department of Health wanted to move out of its dated Hawkins House building in Dublin

A wrangle over "bespoke" furniture and open-plan offices helped delay a move by Department of Health staff to plush new headquarters - costing the taxpayer millions.

The civil servants, who were moving from the eyesore of Hawkins House in Dublin city centre to a new headquarters at Miesian Plaza in Baggot Street, were perturbed by the new open-plan layout.

Assistant principal officers were worried because they would be in shared workspace, losing the privacy they previously enjoyed, a watchdog report has revealed.

The Comptroller and Auditor General investigated the long-running saga of moving health mandarins, particularly senior civil servants who struggled with the "severe cultural change" of having to share space.

The report found the seven-floor Baggot Street building, which was obtained by the OPW for the move, remained vacant for 17 months at a cost of €15.8m in rent and service charges.

The premises, which had a 25-year lease, were also expected to accommodate the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, located in Mespil Road, as well as an overflow of civil services from the Department of Finance and Department of Expenditure and Reform.

"The delayed move to Miesen Plaza has resulted in ineffective expenditure on rental and service costs in the order of €11m over 13 months to the end of April 2018," the Comptroller and Auditor General found.

"Costs were also incurred as a result of the continued occupation of Hawkins House and Mespil Road.

"The key issues that caused delay in occupying Miesian Plaza were settling the number of staff to be accommodated and delays reaching agreement on the layout in the open-plan areas, the provision of meeting rooms and other shared facilities."

He said the Department of Health asked for "bespoke" furniture which had to be designed.

The secretary general of the Department of Health Jim Breslin said the building had to be "within walking distance of Leinster House" and capable of accommodating all staff.

There were different views among staff on the Baggot Street location and the implications for "commuting, childcare arrangements and other factors".

He said his department signed off on the plan in July 2017. They moved in July 2018.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs defended its demand to see open-plan layouts before sign off as it strove to maintain "industrial relations harmony" with 50 assistant principals.

The Comptroller called for a range of changes to avoid "protracted" discussions.

Irish Independent