Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As other colleagues said, the Minister's reply is most disappointing. Ballybay will suffer because of poor employment opportunities in the town. That more than 30 people are employed there in the public service is of tremendous value to the town and the wider catchment area. The Minister's reply suggests the accommodation available would not meet the Department's requirements both in terms of cost and time. It is essential to highlight again our understanding from the meetings we attended that the owners of all of the properties that were in the frame for consideration were, understandably, prepared to upgrade their accommodation at their own expense. However, there does not seem to have been any meaningful engagement with these property owners. I do not know any of the property owners and have no interest in any particular applicant being successful. However, it has been brought to our attention that one of the properties available is a fine new enterprise centre that was developed through community activity and put in place through State funding and the initiative of local community and development groups. I understood from the last municipal district meeting we attended that this group did not receive the details of the necessary specifications or requirements to meet the accommodation needs of the Department. There does not seem to have been any meaningful contact by the Office of Public Works with individual property owners to ensure all potential properties will be examined. I emphasise again that the owners were willing to meet the requirements of the Department, both individual private property owners and the community group that runs the enterprise centre.

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