Fianna Fáil has confirmed it plans to sell its party headquarters in Kerry North and to replace it with a modern office.
Fianna Fáil general secretary Seán Dorgan said proceeds from the proposed sale of the listed three-storey Georgian building in Tralee would be ring-fenced to ensure "the electorate of North Kerry are served by a modern, central office in Tralee town" .
He said the party may open a second office in Listowel and the sale of the Tralee building was in line with moves by the party around the State to modernise properties.
However, the building at 6 Day Street is held in trust by the Tralee-based Roger Casement cumann, and the proposal to sell has not yet been endorsed by them.
Fianna Fáil sources say the building, which has been associated with Fianna Fáil since the party's early history, should be repaired and retained.
It is held in trust by a small number of members of the Roger Casement cumann. The trustees include former Fianna Fáil Kerry North TD, Denis Foley. Mr Foley holds the key to the building which is used for cumann meetings and occasionally for comhairle Dáil ceanntair meetings.
The chairman of the Roger Casement cumann, Martin Clifford, said yesterday the possibility of the sale had been discussed briefly at a meeting last year. The building was not owned by party headquarters, the sale would have to have the agreement of the cumann and no such decision had been made.
Mr Clifford said the building was run down and in need of repair with the roof particularly in need of attention. Local auctioneers estimate the building could make in the region of €650,000.
The push to sell the building is coming from the Kerry North constituency in advance of the next general election.
Some party sources have pointed to the fact Sinn Féin operates two offices in the Kerry North constituency, one in Listowel and one in a prominent location in Tralee, as well as a mobile unit.