Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Finance the details of the response to the Office of Public Works's recent advertisement seeking expressions of interest in providing office or other space for the proposed decentralisation programme; the number of applications received; if leases or commitments to purchase have been entered into by the OPW; if a survey has been carried out with regard to the percentage of the current space occupied by Departments, sections or agencies identified for decentralisation which is subject to long-term leases; the action it is intended to take in regard to such long-term leases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4754/04]

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
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More than 700 proposed property solutions were received in response to the advertisements placed in the newspapers by the OPW. These include offers of sites only, existing buildings and proposals to build. No contractual negotiations to lease or purchase properties will be entered into by the OPW until all the proposals received as well as all options to use State-owned properties, have been assessed and evaluated and will be concluded over the coming weeks.

The OPW is in the process of compiling and analysing all lease and title data in respect of the office space currently occupied by Departments and State-sponsored bodies earmarked for decentralisation. The results of this exercise will form the basis for the formulation of options for the rational State accommodation in the Dublin area post-decentralisation. These options are likely to include: disposal of State-owned buildings; redevelopment of buildings; early termination of leases and; relocation of Departments/offices within the Dublin portfolio.