David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 5: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress regarding decentralisation of his Department and military headquarters; the expected timetable for such decentralisation and details of same; the locations of all the various sections of his Department and military headquarters following decentralisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38259/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Defence is moving to Newbridge, County Kildare, under the decentralisation programme. All of the Department's Dublin based Civil Service staff will relocate to Newbridge. The Chief of Staff, the deputy chiefs of staff and a number of other military personnel will also relocate. Relocation of staff to the new building has commenced and will be completed by 8 November 2010. This accounts for the fact that I have some difficulty gathering information related to parliamentary questions. Much of the key information is in crates that are on their way to Newbridge. I am sure they will all be found safely for the next Question Time on defence.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Let us hope we do not have a war in the meantime.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The move to Newbridge will see all civil branches of the Department located either in Newbridge or in Renmore, Galway. The management advisory committee, planning and organisation branch, Defence Forces personnel policy branch, international security and defence policy branch, executive branch, legislation branch, litigation branch, property management branch, conciliation and arbitration branch, human resources branch, information systems branch, contracts branch and the office of emergency planning will be based in Newbridge. The allocation of branches to Renmore in Galway is unaffected. Finance branch, internal audit branch and parts of the information systems branch and human resources branch are already located in Renmore.

The following military directorates will be located in Newbridge: strategic planning, finance, litigation, press office, conciliation and arbitration, legislation, and a component of military information communications and technology. The remaining military directorates will be located at their current locations in Parkgate Street, St. Bricin's Hospital, Coláiste Caoimhín, Park House and McKee Barracks, all in Dublin, and also at Kickham Barracks in Clonmel, County Tipperary.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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What will remain in Park House, the current Army headquarters building? Is this the end of it and will what is left in Army headquarters not be moved out?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The principal responsibility remaining in Parkgate Street will be the communications centre, which is a considerable physical infrastructure. It has associated staff of slightly more than 50. It will continue to be accommodated in Parkgate Street for the moment until it is relocated. Members will be aware that there was a second phase to the decentralisation project which would have involved military personnel moving to the Curragh. That element was postponed when decisions were taken in the middle of 2009 due to economic and budgetary matters.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister said "for the moment". Could he be more specific about what that means? Is it months or years? What is the plan or is there a plan for the communications centre, which is very important infrastructure? Has the Minister plans to move this communications centre and, if so, what will be the cost of moving it and where will it go? I understand there are many vacant offices in Parkgate Street. Will the Minister move other elements of the military establishment into Parkgate Street from Glasnevin and other places around Dublin? Will the building where Pádraig Pearse signed the order to surrender be retained in military hands? Is the Minister aware of the historical importance of this building and will he work to retain it in the possession of the Department of Defence?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I should have said at the outset that responsibility for the accommodation of the Department of Defence lies with the Office of Public Works, OPW.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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It is somebody else's problem.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It owns the property. I understand it has plans for the location of other personnel there. Due to the nature of the communications centre, it is not something that can be moved overnight. In fact, large elements of it must be recreated to facilitate its transfer.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister cannot be serious. What is the cost of that?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The cost is being dealt with by the OPW. It is not as large as one might expect but it is an issue that is being dealt with by the OPW.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Are we talking about millions of euro?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I do not know the figures involved. For very good reasons it is desirable to have the communications centre located in exclusively military surroundings.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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It is, so why move it?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Clearly, Parkgate Street will not meet that criterion in the future, particularly if another Department is located there.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Somebody else wants it.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Even if it were not, I understand the OPW has plans for all the property it controls or rents-----

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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It is institutional vandalism.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It will undertake to ensure that the Department is adequately housed.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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That is not good enough.

Séamus Kirk (Louth, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will move on to other questions.