Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I recall the words of the late James Dillon, a former Minister for Agriculture, at the opening of the Michael Davitt House complex in Castlebar in the late 1970s. Coming from the land of Michael Davitt to the Davitt House complex, it was one of the first decentralised offices. The late Micheál Ó Moráin, who was a Minister in several Fianna Fáil Governments, had promised it. My late father delivered it in the coalition Government of 1973-77. His words on that day were prophetic about the necessity to have Government involve itself to the extent where people could be facilitated by being able to call into offices and deal with their business in a confidential and courteous manner.

I am seeking clarification from the Minister because, while there are some rumours floating around, some of the facts may or may not be correct. I require clarification as to what the Department's plans are regarding decentralisation or re-centralisation as has happened.

I understand that the agriculture section of Davitt House in Castlebar paid out €500 million in grants last year, not just for County Mayo but for the country as a whole. The section was in charge of the suckler cow scheme, the ewe premium, the area-based scheme and the extensification scheme. A sum of €130 million was paid out under the suckler cow scheme, €90 for the ewe premium, €230 million for the area-based scheme and €95 for the extensification scheme. These are approximate figures. However, due to changes in the Common Agricultural Policy, this body of work is not now as significant as it used to be, so the work is leaving that section of Davitt House. With the advent of the new EU system, all the payments to which I have referred will be paid out in a single payment. It is expected that this will be done from Port Laoise. So if these payments will no longer apply, while there are still some outstanding payments to be made, they will not be made from Davitt House in future. That means that while there is still some work going on for the national reserve under the single payment scheme in Castlebar, when these questions are completed, all of that is expected to be transferred to Port Laoise. That leaves approximately 70 staff in the agriculture section, including principal officers, HEOs, clerical officers and clerical assistants.

What is the plan in regard to that section of the Department? There was serious expenditure there in recent years and over the past 30 years people have become used to working in those very fine facilities. I understand the area aid section of the Department of Agriculture and Food in Kildare Street, Dublin, is also to go to Port Laoise. In that section there are approximately 60 to 70 staff but the work is somewhat similar to what was being done in Davitt House for many years. Therefore, that body of work could be transferred from Kildare Street to the Davitt House complex and be facilitated in that fashion. Otherwise, as I understand there is no building yet in Portlaoise, this matter could drag on for a long time. When the work in Davitt House ceases, what is in store for the approximately 70 staff there? Will any of them be transferred to another location? What are the prospects for them being absorbed into other Departments in the Davitt House complex, such as Revenue or Coillte? In that sense, the clarification I request from the Minister will be very important to people who have lived in Mayo and worked in the Davitt House complex in Castlebar for quite some time. Families are involved, with mortgages and other commitments.

Over the years, the agriculture section in Davitt House provided thousands of farmers with a convenient service. Perhaps the Minister will spell out what the future will be for the agriculture sector of the Davitt House complex. When the body of work it is currently doing ceases to exist, what work will it be involved in? Is it proposed that the area aid work currently being done in Kildare Street will be transferred to the Davitt House complex in Castlebar? Perhaps the Minister will set out what the plan is and indicate the timescale. I would like reassurance from the Minister with particular reference to staff that there will be no major disruption to their work in the area.

When this proposal is implemented and that body of work ceases, it will end 30 years of very valuable agricultural service. This was one of the first offices in the country to be decentralised from Dublin to the land of Davitt, the land which was so important to people, so intrinsic a part of the lives of farming people over those years. I would not like to see it ended and no future work done. Perhaps the Minister will clarify that.

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