Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding the purchase of a site for the transfer of his Department to Newbridge as part of the decentralisation programme; if a site has been chosen; if the price of the site has changed since purchase negotiations started; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24514/06]

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
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The Office of Public Works has identified a suitable site in Newbridge to accommodate the Department of Defence Headquarters and negotiations to acquire the site from Kildare County Council are at an advanced stage.

A number of issues need to be resolved before the acquisition is finalised, mainly the relocation of playing pitches and the provision of a footbridge over the railway to provide safe pedestrian access to the station and the town. OPW has, following consultation with Kildare County Council, commissioned a consultant engineer to prepare an outline plan for relocation of playing pitches in order to free up the site chosen for the Department of Defence. We expect that Kildare Council will shortly seek Planning Permission for the new playing pitches. On the question of safe pedestrian, access, CIE has agreed to cooperate fully with the construction of a new footbridge over the rail line, and planning for this will be progressed in consultation with Kildare County Council and CIE.

Notwithstanding the fact that agreement on the purchase price for the site has not yet been finalised, the County Manager of Kildare Council has given his approval in principal to OPW's seeking tenders for the construction of the offices. While no absolute or definite guarantees can be given, OPW are hopeful, subject to all the outstanding planning, legal, technical and negotiation issues being resolved over the coming months, that the site can be acquired in time to allow construction to commence next year.