Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she intends to commence the transfer of civil servants to Mullingar, County Westmeath under the decentralisation programme; the initial numbers involved; if her Department has sourced temporary accommodation in the town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23581/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of Public Works placed a notification on the eTenders Public Procurement website seeking Expressions of Interest for the design, build, financing and maintenance of office buildings in three of the locations included in the decentralisation programme, including Mullingar on 1 June 2006. The call for expressions of interest is a preliminary stage in a process that will eventually lead to the placing of contracts for the design and construction of accommodation for the 300 posts in my Department to decentralise from Dublin to Mullingar.

The OPW has previously indicated to my Department a target date of Quarter 1 2009 for the completion of the construction of the accommodation for Mullingar. This timetable is contingent on a successful outcome to the tender competition which will follow on the call for expressions of interest, on planning permission being obtained and on no delays being experienced during the architectural planning and construction stages. While there has been some examination of the feasibility of relocating a number of the posts scheduled to decentralise to temporary accommodation in Mullingar in advance of the main move, no decision has been taken on this matter to date.