Mr. Kenneth Moore:

We have a variety of sites throughout the country that have not been developed since the Government shelved the decentralisation programme. We have several sites left and we are working through a process of identifying practical uses for them, whether that be a driving test centre, as in one location, or, potentially, a building in another to get us out of leased accommodation in the town involved. There are challenges in that because all this comes with a capital cost. That is where we are at the moment. To refer back to costs in Dublin versus those outside Dublin, Dublin is a unique property market all on its own at the moment.

Coming out of the recession and the complete collapse of the property market, it was quite dysfunctional for a while so there was no building in Dublin for six or seven years. The cranes can be seen starting to pop up all around the place again but a lot of these buildings are either being built as pre-lets or they are snapped up as soon as they are on the ground. From the State's perspective it is definitely a seller's market in the city. The figures being quoted by Foras na Gaeilge of €60 or €65 per square foot are typical for good quality city centre space. I can offer a comparator. Like the Chairman I have not seen the building in Amiens Street, but we are renting a building around the corner from it. It is on Talbot Street, not far from the building in Frederick Court where Foras na Gaeilge had an office. It is in the same ballpark. It costs us €31 per square foot. On the basis of that direct comparison and from what I know of the building, the rent being quoted is not off the mark. It is actually very reasonable.