Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of premises or sites acquired or disposed of in connection with the Government's decentralisation policy; the cost of such activities to date in 2005, including reports or consultancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39211/05]

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
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Overall, the programme of site identification and acquisition is progressing satisfactorily. To date, property acquisition negotiations have been completed or significantly advanced in 23 locations.

In the case of five locations, Athlone, the Curragh, Navan, Furbo and Sligo, sites owned by the OPW have been identified and will be used to accommodate decentralised offices.

In the case of another four locations, Carlow, Longford, Newcastle West and Killarney, sites have been acquired from the relevant local authorities. Privately owned sites have been purchased in Buncrana, Tipperary and Clonakilty. In the case of Tullamore, the OPW has entered into an agreement to purchase an office block which is currently under construction.

Contracts for sale have been received in a further ten locations including Donegal, Dungarvan, Knock, Portarlington, Portlaoise, Thurles, Carrick-on-Shannon, Trim, Cavan and Thomastown. The estimated total purchase cost for the 18 non-OPW owned sites and the building in Tullamore is €35.7 million, excluding VAT.

As a consequence of the decision of decentralise 10,300 civil servants it has been possible to dispose of a number of valuable properties in Dublin. To date, under the transforming of State assets programme, the following properties have been disposed of:

The receipts for the above disposals amount to just over €300 million.

As the programme advances, office space will become vacant in Dublin and this will give rise to the need for a rationalisation and reorganisation of the Dublin property portfolio. Ultimately, this will involve the disposal of surplus space. However, no firm decisions have been taken at this stage as to which particular office buildings will be disposed of post-decentralisation.