Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he expects the National Safety Authority of Ireland to relocate to Arklow, County Wicklow; the number of members of this body who have expressed a wish to relocate to Arklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12024/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the Government's decentralisation programme, 132 staff of the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, are to relocate from Glasnevin, Dublin to Arklow, County Wicklow.

While the NSAI was not identified as an "early mover" in the most recent report of the decentralisation implementation group published on 19 November, 2004, the authority has, in accordance with the requirements of earlier reports of the decentralisation implementation group, developed a decentralisation implementation plan. This plan is available on the authority's website and it sets a timeline of June 2006 for the move to Arklow. However, I understand from the authority that this target date is dependent on the OPW property procurement process. Following discussion between the authority and the OPW, the authority now considers that this date may need to be revised to a later date.

Results from the central applications facility confirm that out of 119 expressions of interest in moving to Arklow with the NSAI, ten of the staff currently engaged by the authority have expressed an interest in relocating to Arklow.