Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 551: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food, further to decentralisation to Macroom, if Macroom is on a priority list; the number of civil servants who have agreed to go there; and if land has been purchased in that area. [14615/06]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 599: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress which has been made regarding the proposed decentralisation of the Department of Agriculture and Food staff to a location (details supplied) in County Cork; the number of staff who have volunteered for this relocation; the premises acquired for this purpose; when staff will be relocated to this town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15254/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 551 and 599 together.

The Decentralisation Implementation Group, DIG, in its report to the Minister for Finance in June 2005 indicated that construction of my Department's laboratories in Macroom should start by the end of 2007 and be completed by early 2009.

My Department has forwarded an accommodation brief to the Office of Public Works for Macroom. The brief outlines the requirements for office staff, laboratories, visitor areas and general service areas for the new laboratory complex. Given the complexity of the facility, that brief is preliminary and will be adjusted as specific requirements are finalised. This preliminary brief will, however, allow the OPW to source a site for the facility. The OPW is actively seeking a site for the facility and my Department is in ongoing contact with it in this regard. There have been 82 applications to the central applications facility, CAF, for relocation to Macroom.