Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 24: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide a progress report on the decentralisation plans for his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23141/09]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is scheduled to relocate under the decentralisation programme to offices at Na Forbacha, Galway, and Charlestown, County Mayo. Our commitment to Na Forbacha has been met in full with ten staff now relocated to the Department's offices at that location.

Significant progress has been made to date with decentralisation of the Department's headquarters to Charlestown. From a total of 140 staff due to decentralise, 100 staff have relocated to an interim location in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, where two properties are being leased by the Office of Public Works to accommodate the staff concerned. A significant number of departmental business units, including the full rural, community and finance divisions, are now operating successfully from Tubbercurry.

The eventual destination identified by the Government for the Department is Charlestown, County Mayo. The Office of Public Works has been engaged in the process of selecting and purchasing a permanent site for the Department's headquarters at that location. The Office of Public Works is liaising with the Department of Finance and relevant authorities on a particular site in Charlestown, identified as being suitable.

The Department of Finance was recently approached by a community development organisation concerning a property in Kiltimagh, County Mayo, with turn-key potential as a headquarters building. On foot of this approach, the Office of Public Work is examining the property in question to ascertain its suitability. This is a sensible and prudent response to the approach that has been made and implies no decision.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A site for the departmental headquarters was identified in Charlestown, County Mayo, but the planning application for it was refused by An Bord Pleanála. A second site was identified in Charlestown but no contract with the owner would be entered into until planning was approved. Last July, Cairn International Trade Centre, a company owned by IRD Kiltimagh Limited which administered the Leader programme and rural social scheme, made an approach concerning a site it has in Kiltimagh. The Minister has informed me that to date €400,000 has been spent on refurbishing offices in Tubbercurry and €200,000 leasing them. Cairn International Trade Centre has already received over €20,000 of Leader funding to complete a feasibility study on the building. It has also drawn down a loan of €1 million from the Western Development Commission, which falls under the Minister's brief. If the Kiltimagh office were chosen, will it be a case of the Department paying for the buildings twice? To me this resembles "Fawlty Towers" where the Department gives moneys to the Western Development Commission which, in turn, gives it to Cairn International Trade Centre to build offices which then expects the Department to pay rent for. Has Charlestown or Kiltimagh been chosen as the site for the decentralised departmental offices?

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What about Tubbercurry?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Decisions in the Leader programme are made in what is termed the bottom-up development. The Deputy is correct that IRD Kiltimagh Limited made moneys of €12,000 and €9,675 available to Cairn International Trade Centre for a feasibility study. The Western Development Commission made a loan on certain terms to the building which is secured on properties in Kiltimagh. The issue raised by the Deputy would only come into play if there were a decision to purchase the building in Kiltimagh.

The process was that the Office of Public Works would buy a site in Charlestown. An approach was made to the Department of Finance by the owners of the Cairn International Trade Centre in Kiltimagh. The Office of Public Works is still examining if it is a suitable building. Until then, the other issues raised by the Deputy would not even come into play.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister for making this and much more information on this matter available to me. He claims the Kiltimagh group did not make an approach concerning the building until July last year. How was it able to draw down a loan of €1 million from the Western Development Commission?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am anxious that we would give as much information as is possible. Decisions of the Western Development Commission on any amounts up to €1 million are separate from me. It is also important that the Deputy is made aware that the group in question applied for dormant accounts funding. This was initially recommended by Pobal. It came to the committee I chair which believed there were issues under the relevant Act. The matter was reviewed and it was decided not to give funding under the dormant accounts fund. I can make those papers available to the Deputy so that he has the full picture.

I have treated this matter at arm's length. I will not deny people approached me about the building. It is also a fact that I pushed the matter to the right place because, as Minister, I have no function in property acquisition whatsoever. The Office of Public Works decision to examine the suitability of the Kiltimagh building is its own and not mine.

My concern is to proceed with the full decentralisation of my Department to east County Mayo. Until this issue was raised, and which now has to be resolved, I was happy with the progress made with the Charlestown site. The original site was to be at Knock Airport. Except for an unusual decision by An Bord Pleanála the offices would be there today. My focus is in getting a permanent headquarters for my Department. Until recently, the site at Charlestown was the only one in play. This other building at Kiltimagh has come into play. It raises all sorts of issues, which have been legitimately raised by Deputy Ring. These will all have to be taken into account but only if the Office of Public Works were to consider the Kiltimagh building suitable.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It raises many questions about the use of €1 million of Government moneys.