Cork building and civil engineering firm PJ Hegarty has won a multi-million euro contract to build new headquarters for the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in Killarney.
The firm with offices also in Dublin, Limerick and Galway was founded in 1925.
It has an annual turnover in excess of €250 million and 700 staff.
The company, whose most recent works include the building of a €6.5m leisure extension at Maryborough House also did a €13m extension for the Mercy Hospital, both in Cork.
The 4,000 square metres Killarney building would house 150 staff, Minister John O’Donoghue said.
Some 47 staff had already located from Dublin to the town and were in temporary accommodation.
A further 22 will relocate in July. Work on the building will start immediately.
The building had been designed to make use of many environmentally friendly features including a rainwater recovery system. This would provide a portion of the water supply for cisterns and irrigation and the use of roof-mounted panels to absorb sunlight which in turn would heat most of the water required for staff needs.
The site is adjacent to the New Road and High Street junction, a main approach to the town centre.
The minister said the development would bring a distinct civic quality to the location.
The building would be approached via a new landscaped public plaza. It would replace derelict buildings.
A pedestrian access through the completed project would form part of a ‘green route’ within the town centre.
It will be four storeys high and would offer a very high quality office environment with universal accessibility throughout, Deputy O’Donoghue said.