Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this important question to be addressed in the House tonight. I also thank the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, for taking the question.

Clonakilty in County Cork was identified as the location for the decentralisation of Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in the first week of December 2003. Two years later, not a stroke has been struck in Clonakilty with regard to this matter. All of 2004 was spent in reconnoitring the town. Eventually, in May 2005, a site was acquired. An advertisement appeared in 2004 asking for expressions of interest to construct office accommodation for this proposed decentralisation and, to date, no tendering arrangements have been put in place.

My problem is that 215 people volunteered to go to Cork, of their own volition and without any arm twisting. These people, along with their parents, are now making representations to me seeking to find out when the new office accommodation will be available. I have made representations a number of times on this matter.

In one such representation, I received a reply from the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, dated 25 August 2005 stating that "subject to agreement of the briefs, the OPW expects to be in a position to invite tenders in the next few weeks". I then received a letter from the same Minister of State on 11 October stating that:

[I]n relation to BIM, the OPW recently met with representatives of BIM with a view to finalising their brief of requirements. The OPW is pressing for an early resolution of the matter and subject to agreements we will then be able to go to tender.

I then decided to table a parliamentary question to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. I received a reply in Question No. 432 of 18 October stating:

I expect consultation between the Department, BIM and the OPW, on the fit out and design elements in each organisation's specification, to get under way shortly[.]

In other words, nothing has happened.

I want the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to tell me when this procrastination and vacillation will stop. As for the people who have volunteered to return to their roots in west Cork, can they be given any hope, or is this all a mirage? I want a definite and specific commitment that the 215 staff from the Department of Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources and Bord Iascaigh Mhara who have volunteered to go to Clonakilty will be accommodated there. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply on this matter.

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